Of Stakes And Spells
by VixenRaign
Summary: (Chapter 21 for Vicky) Willow and Buffy find love in the last place they'd expect it! Durring Season-4's THE INITIATIVE . PANGS . HUSH
1. The Heart's Labrynth

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! All the characters belong to JOSS-the all mighty-WHEDON and his band of MUTANT ENIMIEs! The PLOT isn't even mine! It just hit me in the side of my consciousness as though some one threw it at me screaming "USE IT DAMN IT!"  
  
Rating: PG-13 for now, may change later (I suck at love scenes)  
  
Spoilers: Anything and Everything up 'til the end of season 4.  
  
TAKES PLACE DURRING: Season4's "THE INITIATIVE"  
  
Summery: Willow's grieving, and she has a lot on her mind as life leads her down a hard path.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ==={*WHY CHEESE?*}===  
  
Buff stood there, talking to the young man obviously trying to win her affections. There was a long awkward silence, broken by Riley hold up a cheddar cube on a tooth-pick asking  
  
"Cheese?"  
  
Buffy gave him a forced smile and tried to think of a way to escape this stupid situation. {Why do I even bother to date anymore?} she asked her self, {You'd think I'd have learned to give it up by now!} * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
==={*Male Mope-Fest 2000*}=== Meanwhile Willow was more towards the back of the house where the music wasn't so loud. She needed to think. She was tired of sitting back and watching Buffy get hurt. She had done it for too long, and she felt even worse this time.  
  
This time, she was helping the future-heart-breaker. She had warned him about hurting her best friend, but she had left out the fact that she too was in love with the small blond. How could she not be? Who walked the face of the earth and didn't adore the tiny (yet deadly) Slayer.  
  
"Buffy." She sighed, thinking about when they had first met. She remembered hearing Cordelia making fun of her, and looking up into the face of the girl that had tortured her all though her childhood. Then, when the verbal blows became apparent, the shy computer geek had noticed the blond girl standing next to Queen C.  
  
She was so taken aback by the offended look on the new girl's face that she forgot that saying anything to the May Queen would only result in more jokes about her clothes. When Cordy kept making fun of Willow the witch remembered how Buffy's apologetic stair fallowed her down the hall. She too couldn't help looking back at the beautiful new sophomore.  
  
From that first moment, Willow knew that there was something special about the new addition to her grade. No one in her life had ever cared what Cordelia had said to her besides Xander and Jessie (though Jessie never really cared, he was too busy drooling over The Queen). She walked out side and into the cool night air. She heard light foot-steps behind her and turned around. Speak of the Slayer!  
  
Buffy came running up behind Willow, trying to catch up. As soon as she did she linked arms with her best friend, smiling sadly.  
  
"I'm sorry Wills," she started, "I thought you'd enjoy being out at a party. I should have remembered: major mope-fest, THEN partying!" the blond gave the little witch's arm a squeeze, "I'll give you your time to mope, as long as you don't go all Neanderthal on me." Buffy gave her best friend a wink, causing a blush in the copper-topped co-ed.  
  
{Willow always blushes when I bring up my short lived encounter with the Mesozoic era . . .} Buffy thought, {Wonder why that is?}  
  
Little did Buffy know what had happened during her evolutionary vacation. The two friends, both feeling lonely, had ended up finding comfort in each other that night. The cursed beer had effected Buffy's memory though, so only Willow could remember it. They hadn't done much, but what little they did meant a lot to the shy Witch. More then she could ever let Buffy know, even if she did remember. {And she never will remember.} she thought sadly, {Oh Buffy! Why can't you love me?}  
  
"What's the plan tonight? Rent movies with NO men in then so we don't have to see what we're missing, or rent sappy teen Vids that defy reality by starring men with feelings?" Willow smiled, but couldn't bring herself to laugh. It was too soon to laugh, and to hard to try.  
  
"No men I think. Then maybe move on the teen ones another night." Willow rested her head on her friends shoulder, wishing for the pain to stop. She just wanted to be happy again. She hopped that a night with her favorite slayer would be enough to keep the agony at bay for a while.  
  
Buff reached up and stroked the witch's hair. The soft touches and Buffy's arm in hers made Willow want to cry. She had set Buffy up. With another man, and she knew that her heart would break when she realized that Riley could never fill the shoes of her Angel. She knew that Buffy wanted a normal life so badly, and her finding out that she couldn't even have a normal boy-friend would only make it hurt more later.  
  
"So," Willow said, steadying her voice, "How you chat with Riley go?" Buffy chuckled.  
  
"God!" she laughed, "That guy is so . . . dull!" Willow's head shot up. That was not the answer she had expected.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Will, you of all people should know my taste in men! Parker was a fling that I wish to forget FOREVER," she said, growling the last word, "and I'm not looking for another Angel. Vamps are so last season! I wanted normal, but that doesn't mean BORING!"  
  
"You really think he's boring?" she asked, sounding disappointed (though relieved that Buffy wouldn't have to have her heart broken later).  
  
"I would rather sit threw 100 Giles-lectures instead of listen to Riley talk about cheese." Buffy laughed, thinking that must sound a little crazy to her friend. Willow smiled internally. She had set Riley up too. Buffy did like cheese, but how much can two people really connect over a dairy product? Willow thought Riley was nice, and though she though he could have made Buffy happy, she didn't want to make it too easy for the guy.  
  
"I kept waiting for him to ask me to dance, but he never did."  
  
"He can't."  
  
"Well," Buffy said in finalized tone, "That's the clincher. If the man can't dance, he's off my list!"  
  
"I'm starting to hate men in general. They're all after one thing!" Willow huffed, "And then once they've got what they wanted or found something better they rip out your heart and do the lambaste all over it wearing golf shoes!" she yelled.  
  
"I know Will," Buffy told her friend, "You're talking to a girl with a hole- y heart. Angel, Scott, and Parker, remember? No need to remind this Slayer." Buffy gave Willow another squeeze and put the Wiccan's head down on to her shoulder.  
  
"Men suck." She muttered, enjoying the comfort of Buffy's closeness. Buffy wrapped her arm around Willow's waist.  
  
"Yes they do. You just vent, you're entitled to hate." The slayer started petting Willow's hair with her free hand again. "I'm gonna neuter Oz when he gets home. He made my Willow cry."  
  
"It's not Oz's fault," said a teary red-head.  
  
"But I wanna hurt him!" Buffy said, sounding like a child who was told they couldn't have a cookie. "It's not your fault Willow. He did stupid Male things and he took off. He ran off when he should have stayed and worked things out, and for that I will never forgive him." Willow sobbed quietly during Buffy's tirade.  
  
"But it must have been my fault!" she said dejectedly, "I wasn't enough to keep him happy. If I was then he wouldn't have gone to Varuca."  
  
"Hey!" Buffy stopped walking and took Willow's shoulders, looking the witch in the eye. "You are more then enough for any man! Oz just didn't realize what he had." She pulled Willow into a tight hug as she cried.  
  
"It's okay. It's gonna be alright. I know it hurts, but it doesn't last forever." Buffy whispered into her friend's ear. Willow drew Buffy tighter to her, wishing that things were different. The slayer pulled away smiled sadly at her friend. "Come on. Movies with out men await!"  
  
"Fried Green Tomatoes here we come." She mumbled sadly.  
  
"That's the spirit Will." Buffy quickly grabbed the red-head and threw her over her shoulder.  
  
"Ahhh! Buffy!" she screamed, "What are you doing?!" Buffy pulled Willows arms around her neck, and grabbed he knees, forcing her into a piggy-back- ride.  
  
"Buffy express Wills! Next stop; DORM ROOM!" with that she started running at Slayer Speed towards the girl's room. For the first time since Oz had left, Willow laughed. In fact she was cracking up as they ran threw a crowd of co-eds leaving a party.  
  
"Buffy you're crazy!" she giggled as they passed the book store.  
  
"That's not crazy!" she yelled sounding mischievous, "THIS IS!" and with that she did a flip, landing perfectly. Willow screamed even after they had return right side up. She held tightly on to Buffy, enjoying the feel of the Slayer's curves against her body. The trip up the stairs to their room was intense. They both bounced laughingly, causing Willow's front to rub up Buffy's back. She was more then a little turned on and she could feel her body start to react.  
  
As soon as they had walked in the door, Willow hopped down. She didn't want Buffy to see her flushed face and huge smile. She was supposed to be moping, and if Buffy saw her happy, then they wouldn't get to spend sad- girl-time together. Then she remembered shy she was sad: Oz had cheated on her and left town.  
  
"So, I heard a vote for Fried Green Tomatoes?" Willow nodded sadly and sank down on her bed. Buffy sat next to her, trying to figure out how to comfort the girl. They sat together silently, both wishing terrible things on Oz.  
  
"Hit him over the head with a stick." Buffy suggested, breaking the silence, "It's surprisingly therapeutic. Gives you a great since of closure."  
  
"I'll hit home over the head with the whole damn tree!" the witch mumbled to herself, forgetting about Buffy's Slayer hearing.  
  
"There's the Willow I know and love!" she gave the girl a gentle cuff on the back and got up.  
  
"You gonna go get the movies?" Willow asked, still sounding kind of down.  
  
"Yup. Movies, Mayhem, and Mochas. Sound good to you?" Willow smiled, and the Slayer took that as a yes. As the Slayer headed out to the campus' Blockbuster, Willow rolled onto her back and though about life. "DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO COMPLEX?!" she wondered aloud.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
==={*Clues For Sherlock*}===  
  
Buffy's mind was more then a little jumbled as she walked out of the dorms. {What was that all about?!} she thought. There was something going on with Willow that she didn't understand. How did Willow even know that she had talked to Riley, and that he couldn't dance? And why did she sound disappointed when she had said he was boring? There was something amiss here, and she was going to figure out what. Buffy wasn't looking for a new Boy-friend right now. She had just been dumped by a guy that had used her, and her best friend was grieving over a freshly lost love.  
  
{Or was she?} Buffy wondered. {Was it just me, or did Willow say that she now hated all men?} Buffy had noticed a few things tonight. For one that she seemed to be more angry at Oz then Willow was. {But then again,} she thought, {I never loved Oz.}  
  
She walked along the sidewalk slowly, taking her time, knowing she had a lot to think about. Buffy had been feeling odd lately. She had been noticing things she hadn't even bothered to see before. For instance: The fact that Willow could manage to be radiantly beautiful even first thing in the morning. Or that she had felt incredible against Buffy's back as they ran around the campus earlier.  
  
Not to mention the fact that Buffy's super senses could smell the Witch's arousal when they reached the dorm. {I knew I'd been rubbing against her as we ran up the stairs, but I didn't realize how much!} she thought. Buffy had a crush on Willow, but she hadn't quite realized it yet. She had loved the girl so much, for so long that she hadn't even noticed it once that love had changed.  
  
Buffy wandered along the path to the rental shop, not really paying attention until she felt all her hairs stand on end. {VAMPIRE!} She thought, and like clockwork a newly risen nasty popped out of the bushes at her. She pulled a stake out of her sleeve, and plunged it into the undead heart. She waited for the dust to settle before walking again.  
  
.  
  
To Be Continued . . .   
  
~Vix 


	2. A Weird Welcome

==={*A Weird Welcome*}===  
  
Buffy was just making her way back from the Movie Rental place when a thought came to her. {Maybe Willow likes Riley!} It made sense! Willow would have kept an eye on him at the party, and so she would have seen her talking to him, not to mention she would have seen that he didn't dance at all. Also, the fact that he was going after Buffy might explain why the Witch left without even telling the Slayer. {I didn't know!} she thought to her self {If I'd have known I would have hooked them up!}  
  
Buffy thought about the idea of the two of them together and (although it made her skin crawl) it made sense. Both were very smart, good at psychology, they seemed to have a lot in common. {But for some reason I don't like the idea of them being together. Makes me want to punch the jerk . . .} she thought. She'd always been very aggressive when it came to Willow. When Angel had attacked her in 11th grade she had lost it. She flew off the handle when she got home.  
  
Then, last year, when they had gotten the box of Gavrock from the Mayor there was no question of weather or not to trade. {There was no choice} Buffy though then as she did now, {The world isn't worth saving without Willow in it!} she remembered the nasty comment that Wesley had made after they'd rescued her. About how if the pages the witch had stolen were meaningless then they were back at square one. Buffy didn't think so. She was glad that Willow knew how much she meant to Buffy. THE WORLD. She had risked the world and gambled hell-on-earth in exchange for her.  
  
{Plus,} The blond thought, {Even if we did keep the Gavrock and give up Willow I don't think we'd have one. Willow's the brains of this Family, and the Mayor wouldn't have stopped even if he'd lost the box. We needed her. I needed her.}  
  
Buffy was shaken out of her thought as she saw that all the lights had gone out in her dorm. She saw a bunch of guys in Army garb running inside and standing out front. Using her Slayer Speed she ran all the way up to her dorm, only to find that it was a battlefield!  
  
The Commandoes were everywhere, and they were even in her dorm. They seemed to be trying to drag people out of it. Smoke was filling the hall along with a few screams from her neighbors. Then she heard Willow's shouts and her Powers kicked in. Now she could see in the dark, and what she saw she didn't like! Three guys were trying to drag Willow and some guy from her room!  
  
She jumped into action, kicking the men off her best friend, they came after her but she threw them like rag-dolls. Two of them ran back down the hall, while one stayed behind, he looked ready to face off with her, but suddenly changed his mind. Then the man they had been trying to drag out of the room got up.  
  
"SPIKE?!" She yelled, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" she grabbed him by the front of his duster and smashed him against the wall. He coughed and spluttered a little, unable to fight the slayer off.  
  
"Buffy?" came the feeble whisper for Willow, who was on the ground trying to get the wind knocked back into her. Buffy ran over to her and took her hand helping her up. Spike took this moment to run for his UnLife. Buffy carefully brought Willow to her feet, and walking her into their room.  
  
"Are you sure that you're okay?" the Slayer asked cautiously.  
  
"Buffy, I'm bruised. That all, I swear. Are you okay?" She quickly gave her friend the once over, looking for injuries (but finding none).  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I got more for my trouble from the vamp I stakes on my way out-"  
  
"Vamp?!" Willow asked, nervous for her friend, "There was one besides Spike you mean?"  
  
"Yeah, don't worry. He's blowin' in the wind now." She gave Willow a quick hug, and placed her on the bed, carrying her like a small child. Willow was taken aback by this protective nature, she hadn't expected it. She looked up at her best friend worriedly.  
  
"I'm sorry Buff." She said in her little girl voice, sounding more like the Willow from 10th grade.  
  
"For what?" the Slayer asked, pushing some of the copper strands behind the Witch's ears. "I shouldn't be so mopey. If I wasn't then this never would have happened. We would still be at that party and there'd be no commando guy breaking down our door, not to mention the fact that you wouldn't be attacked on your way to get movies so I can wallow in self-shame."  
  
"Willow!" Buffy said quietly, stopping the ramble before someone got hurt, "It's my job to get attacked by Vampires. Don't sweat it, okay?" Willow bowed her head sadly. "Besides, that counts as a patrol. No cemetery hopping for me tonight! Get to spend an evening with my favorite Woman in the world."  
  
"Who? You're mom?" Willow tried to sound serious, but she couldn't keep in the laugh.  
  
"No, I got something a little more Red-headed-Witchy in mind." She gave her another hug and snuggled up next to her best friend on the bed. 


	3. Loves Gone & Lost

===(*Loves Gone & Lost*)===  
  
"Movies?" she asked, knowing she wasn't in the mood.  
  
"Dropped them running up here. You want me to go find them?" Buffy asked, wanting to comfort her friend.  
  
"No I think I just want to rest." Buffy snuggled up close behind her redheaded friend.  
  
"I'll rest with you. That was more excitement then I was expecting for tonight."  
  
"I miss Oz." Willow wrapped her arms around her stomach, the way Oz had done when they slept together.  
  
"So do I." Buffy saw the witch's need for comfort, so she pulled her arms around her friend's waist, forcing her hands under the girl's.  
  
Willow didn't know how to react to this. She hadn't expected this kind of reaction from the Slayer. She wasn't about to refuse it though.  
  
"Why do you miss him?" She asked, simply curious.  
  
"He's the one that gets people to calm down. I miss his levelheaded view of things." She gave the girl a squeeze and whispered into her ear, "Plus he made my Willow happy. He could always make you smile."  
  
Willow shivered slightly at the level of intimacy between herself and the Slayer. She took Buffy's hands in hers and closed her eyes, sinking into the warmth provided.  
  
Buffy nuzzled into the witch's hair a little. She loved the Cherry- Cranberry smell of the flaming-red locks. She hugged her friend tightly to her, missing the closeness they had had before Oz became such a large part of Willow's life.  
  
"Do you miss Angel at all?" she asked, sounding sleepy.  
  
"All the time. I miss the relationship we had."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"The way sex was never really an issue. Yeah, okay, when I wanted it and couldn't have it I got frustrated . . . but it was nice not worrying about weather or not he'd break up with me because we 'didn't have enough sex', or that I 'wasn't enough to fulfill his manly urges' you know?" The witch nodded. "Did you even think you weren't enough for Oz?"  
  
"NEVER crossed my mind. I usually had to bring up the idea of it. He never refused, but he never initiated it either."  
  
"Never?"  
  
"Well, the first time I tried to, he turned me down. Said he wanted to wait. Then the first time we . . . you know, it was his idea. Probably to say 'It was the right time' or whatever."  
  
"Sorry about interrupting you, by the way." Willow blushed, remembering her first time.  
  
"That's okay. I don't know if it's normal, but it was really awkward afterwards. Was it like that with you and Angel?"  
  
"No, Angel and I both fell right to sleep afterwards. {Though when I woke up he'd gone and left me! Stupid-Evil-Dead-Guy!}  
  
"Wait?!" Willow sat up suddenly, looking at Buffy "How did you know you had . . .-"  
  
"When we met up at the Mansion . . ." Buffy blushed, not wanting to have to admit it, "I could smell it. Slayer senses can me really annoying." Willows eye were bugged as she lowered herself back down to the bed.  
  
"You can tell all that just by smell?" she asked, lifting her arm slightly, expecting Buffy to wrap her arms around her again. When the slayer didn't she looked to see that the slayer had turned over onto her other side. Willow sat up and rubbed the blonde's back, trying to get her to talk.  
  
"Buffy? What's wrong?"  
  
"Yeah. It's just hard, you know? I miss him so much."  
  
"I know what you mean. I'm still trying to grasp that Oz is really gone."  
  
"Hey Will?" She said sitting up, "Let's do that thing they do at funerals, and talk about the good times rather then brood over the fact that they're gone?"  
  
Willow smiled and sat against the headboard, indicating for the blond to start them off.  
  
"Um . . ." Buffy sat at the foot of the bed, Indian-style "Oh! Remember the first time I met Angel? He was fallowing me in the creepy stalking kind of way he used to, and I attacked him?" Buffy started laughing, soon joined by Willow. Their dorm rang with laughter.  
  
"I remember you telling me about that!" she said, then when into a fit of hysterics as she recalled, "And then you pinned him to the ground! Ha Ha! And then he was like 'I'd thought you'd be taller. Or bigger muscles and all that.'" Both girls broke into fits of giggles at the memory.  
  
"Remember that whole spiel Oz gave you about Pants for Monkey Animal- Crackers?" Willow burst out laughing.  
  
" 'I have my hippo dignity!' " She said in-between fits of giggles. " 'And then there's a cou in the Zoo!' He always came up with the weirdest things!" Willow laughed at the memory.  
  
"I wonder if his plan of attacking the Mayor with hummus would have worked?" Buffy asked, trying to keep a straight face, and failing.  
  
"I still can't believe that we blew up the school!" Willow laughed as she leaned her head against the head-board. Buffy couldn't help but lick her lips at the sight of Willow's long pale neck. It looked so inviting to the Slayer. {. . . I just want to nibble it . . .}  
  
Buffy quickly shook her head, wondering were those thought were coming from.  
  
"I remember thinking it was SO romantic the way Angel showed up at the prom. I'd hoped he'd show, but I didn't think he actually would." She looked at Buffy and saw that the blond was slightly flushed.  
  
"Hey Will?" she asked quietly, "Do you think he misses me?" Willow smiled sadly.  
  
"I know he does." She took Buffy's hand and held it in both of her own.  
  
"Do you think Oz'll ever come back?" Willow bowed her head, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.  
  
"How could he not?" Buffy asked, lifting her friend's face with a crooked finger. "He's got a beautiful woman waiting for her werewolf to come home to the Hellmouth."  
  
"You really think so Buffy?" The witch sounded almost hopeful.  
  
"I know so." She said playfully poking the witch in the stomach. Willow jumped and giggled, unable to keep from laughing.  
  
"Oh! Ticklish huh?!" Willow shook her head 'No'. Buffy started gently poking Willow in the stomach and ribs. The Red-Head fought to keep a straight face and her mouth closed.  
  
"Come on Will! You're turning Beet-Red!!" Buffy continued her tickling with renewed vigor. Finally, the damn broke and Willow's loud laughter came flooding out. She fell back on the bed and tried to bat the Slayer's hands away.  
  
"Ha Ha! No, Buffy! Please! Ha Ha!" Buffy gave an Evil Cackle and tickled the witch more. Willow managed to roll over and off the bed. She got up and tried to run from the room (still laughing hysterically).  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Buffy called as she grabbed the girl around the waist.  
  
"Ah! Buffy!" Willow was thrown onto the Slayer's bed, and once again tickled mercilessly.  
  
"Okay! Okay! I give! I Give!" Both girls flopped down onto the bed, laying on their backs, and totally exhausted!  
  
"Hey Buff?" Willow said, trying to regulate her breathing.  
  
"Yeah?" Buffy giggled.  
  
"Thanks for cheering me up."  
  
  
  
(TO BE CONTINUED . . . ) 


	4. Telling The Truth

(Author's note: I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I had a lot of School work I had to catch-up on because I spent WAY TOO much time writing FanFiction . . . needless to say my professors are pissed at me . . . hope you like this next chapter! WARNING: it makes little if any sense, and that's because I dreamt it up after I wrote the last chapter. Hope you don't hate it TOO much . . .)  
  
===(*Telling The Truth*)===  
  
Buffy awoke slowly, surprised by the warmth she felt. She knew she was sleeping on top of the covers, and yet she was surrounded by heat. Then, another realization came to her: she wasn't alone. Her initial reaction was to throw off who ever was on top of her, but something stopped her.  
  
{Why does this feel so good?} She wondered. {It was never like this with Angel, he was always so cold and hard. He never held me like this}. The small blond sighed, thinking about how amazing it was to wake up that way. {I could never leave this bed again, and I think I'd be happy for the rest of my life} Buffy thought.  
  
Buffy was still half asleep, so her brain didn't even have the presents-of- mind to lie to her self. {It feels so good . . . why haven't I felt like this before?} The Slayer wondered. Then a familiar smell came to her. {Umm! Cherry-Cranberry Sham-} her eyes shot open, and she was suddenly awake. {WILLOW!} She closed here eyes quickly; hoping that she was still asleep and when she woke it'd all be a dream.  
  
{Oh. My. GOD!} Buffy was in code blue Panic-Mode, ready to jump out of bed and run off down the hall. She felt her friend stir slightly on her, but she was too afraid to see if the redhead was awake. Buffy had to calm down. {I didn't do anything wrong!} She yelled inside her head {I fell asleep on my bed next to my best friend, and we must have just . . . latched on to each other during the night. You know, mistaken each other for other people . . .} but then, as though in answer to her own thought, another voice, from the back of Buffy's mind said { . . . Oh come one Buffy! How lame is that! I know you enjoyed it, and probably still are enjoying it. No use lying, I'm you and I know what you feel}  
  
{Okay . . .} the first voice answered, {So what if I did? I didn't know it was HER!}  
  
{Would it matter if you did?}  
  
{OF COURSE IT WOULD!!}  
  
{ . . . Why?}  
  
{BECAUSE . . . !} Buffy didn't have an answer to that, {BECAUSE! I DON'T LIKE WILLOW LIKE THAT!!}  
  
{You sure about that . . . ?} That made the Slayer pause, {Because from what I've seen, you like her A LOT! It's all there, you just don't see it. It's become subconscious for you.}  
  
{What do you mean?!} Buffy was becoming very confused, and she was going to have to talk to Giles about the possibility of her having schizophrenia.  
  
{Buffy, mistake me if I'm wrong, but didn't you walk willingly to your death when you were only 16?}  
  
{Yeah, so? What does that have to do with Willow?}  
  
{She was there, remember? You said 'NO', you said you quit, and even your beloved Angel couldn't talk some sense into you . . . but after spending just a few minutes talking to a scared Willow, you marched down to that cave and died.} Buffy remembered that day, it still gave her shivers.  
  
{What does that have to do with anything? It's my destiny to die, so what if I finally embraced it?}  
  
{Yeah, but the other night you did something you haven't let yourself do in a long time: TAKE THE NIGHT OFF! I know you think: 'If I don't go out tonight, then that's at least one vamp that got away and had a meal. And there's another life I let slip through my fingers'}  
  
{BUT WILLOW WAS GRIEVING!} she rationalized, {I had to do something! She needed to be taken care of!}  
  
{Trust me, you just made it worse.} The second voice said darkly.  
  
{What? What did I do?}  
  
{You see, that's just it: YOU DON'T REMEMBER! I know that a part of you remembers, deep inside your skull. You see flashes of the memories in your dreams, and you know they're real.}  
  
{What? What don't I remember?! TELL ME!} The second voice didn't answer her question, ignoring it as though the words had gone unsaid.  
  
{Just let go, Buffy. You have been so alone for so long, even LONG before Angel left you were alone. Just look at her, and you'll see it. Do you feel the way she's clinging to you? The disparity in the way she holds you, compared to how everyone else has? She needs you, not the other way around. I know you love her, and don't pass-up the chance to let her love you back.} There was a silence in the Blond slayer's head, absorbing the facts and trying to figure them out.  
  
{You feel it, don't you?} The voice continued, {that heat. There's chemistry between you of prophetic proportions . . . don't ignore it Buffy. I know you don't want to . . .} the voice faded, leaving the slayer nothing to distract her from the heat of her and the Witch's body.  
  
Buffy slowly wrapped her arms around the Copper-top's body, trying to slow her thoughts to a point where she could at least jog along side them in order to keep up.  
  
"Buffy?" came the quiet and sleepy voice of the Witch, "Are you awake?"  
  
"Mmm . . ." Buffy said smiling, trying to enjoy the last moments of her and Willow's time together.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow whispered, even more quietly. The blond gave her a tight hug, realizing she didn't want to let go quite yet. "Who are you dreaming about?" Willow obviously thought she was sleeping, and was trying to trick her into talking in her sleep again. Buffy fished around for the name that would freak Willow out the most, she settled on one that was sure to have the witch wigged.  
  
"Mmm . . ." Buffy moaned sleepily, "Faithy you sexy devil . . ." She felt Willow shoot up into a sitting position.  
  
"FAITH!?!" Willow practically screeched. Buffy couldn't hold it in any longer, and burst out laughing. She eyes opened to see the horrified look on the red-head's face.  
  
"Willow!" Buffy laughed hysterically, "You should see the look on your face!" 


	5. LOVE no matter how you spell it

(Author's Note: I hope you guys don't mind that it took me so long to update. If you've been reading my other FanFic [Hope's Drowning], then you know that I had fallen WAY behind in my school work, and my marks had dropped. Now, I have a bit of free time, so I thought I'd write the next chapter for Of Stakes And Spells [Since I'm still waiting for more votes for the survey on my other FanFic {READ AND VOTE!} to come it]. HOPE YOU LIKE IT!}  
  
= = = {*LOVE (no matter how you spell it)*} = = =  
  
Willow still looked shocked, even as Buffy continued to laugh.  
  
"Come on Will, I was just joking!" Buffy put a comforting hand on the her leg, still cracking up. Willow sighed, happy to hear that it was only a joke, though she was still slightly dazed.  
  
"Goddess, that scared me . . ." Willow forced out a laugh, "I was worried you were serious!" Willow put a hand to her head, trying to calm down.  
  
"Wills? You okay?" the Slayer asked sounding concerned, all traces of laughter gone. "You look Shaken."  
  
"Yeah, just the idea of YOU and FAITH . . ." Willow took a deep breath, and put a hand over the one Buffy rested on her leg. "Ugh! Just gives me the Wiggins is all."  
  
"I take you don't like the idea of me kissing her?" Buffy said sympathetically. The Slayer could understand why Willow didn't like Faith. The Dark-Slayer had been exceptionally cruel to the young Witch.  
  
"Ugh!" Willow said, looking physically ill at the thought of it, "it's just WRONG!"  
  
Buffy stopped. She hadn't expected that response from Willow. She herself had dated a Werewolf, she had supported Buffy al through her Vampire-Courtship. Not to mention the fact that Xander was now dating a former Vengeance Demon (who was now nothing more then an annoying pain in the ear)! Buffy had thought that Willow would have no problem with the idea of a Same-Sex relationship.  
  
"What's so 'WRONG' about it?" Buffy was shocked, but kept it in, wanting to hear Willow's explanation.  
  
"BUFFY!" Willow exclaimed, sounding shocked "It's Faith! She's a . . ." Willow got up off the bed and walked to the door. Leaning against it she continued. "How can you even say that?!" Willow wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to comfort herself.  
  
"I had no idea you felt like that." She couldn't keep the slightly sour look off her face. Buffy swung her legs over the side of the bed, resting them of the floor. The Slayer couldn't look at her friend. Just a little while ago she'd realized that she was in love with this girl, and her she was saying that it was 'WRONG', and that her saying it wasn't even funny. "I don't really know what to say." Buffy looked at the floor, trying to think of a reason why people would want to fall in love if it hurt this much.  
  
"Well, you said it was a joke right?" Willow said franticly, "You never really . . . I mean-"  
  
"I did." Buffy whispered. Willow's heart began to hammer.  
  
" 'Did' What?" the Witch asked breathlessly.  
  
"Kiss her." Buffy hung her head lower, knowing she couldn't lie to her best friend.  
  
"What?" Willow whispered. Her heart had stopped, and her world had just collapsed. Buffy had kissed a girl, and it wasn't her. {and Faith could not be more different them me . . .} Willow thought sadly. {What if this is another Xander situation? Like, what if Buffy knows how I feel and she just doesn't care?} Once again Faith had gotten something that Willow had desperately wanted.  
  
The Witch had been heart broken when she'd herd about Xander's night with the Dark-Slayer, but now it felt as though she had no heart at all.  
  
"I kissed her once" Buffy got up, but kept her eyes on the ground.  
  
"You . . . You . . . You KISSED her?!" Willow was shaking now, almost giving into tears.  
  
"This was a side of you I didn't expect." Buffy walked over to her desk and started fidgeting with the things on it.  
  
"What do you mean?" Willow finally noticed the almost offended tone in Buffy voice.  
  
"I just had no idea that you felt like this."  
  
"I think I have the right to feel this way when you just DROP something like this on me! Most people in the world would agree with me when I say it's disgusting!" Buffy finally looked at Willow, an appalled look on her face. Buffy grabbed her toiletries and bathrobe. She walked past Willow, who was still leaning against the door, and grabbed the knob.  
  
"I had no idea you where so Homophobic." Buffy whispered, sounding genuinely disappointed in her friend. She opened the door and began to walk through it.  
  
{WHAT?!} Willow thought, totally shocked. Then it suddenly clicked. {Oh No!} Willow grabbed Buffy's sleeve and pulled her back into the room. The Slayer looked stunned.  
  
"You think I'm homophobic?" Willow asked, sounding caught between laughter and out-rage.  
  
"Willow," Buffy started, "What you just said-"  
  
"Buffy, I wasn't being homophobic-"  
  
"Really?! 'Cause it sounded that way to me!" Buffy yelled. The Slayer was becoming very frustrated. In one morning she realizes that not only is she in love with her best friend (who was a girl), but also that the same person thought that love between two people of the same sex was disgusting.  
  
"Buffy, I'm NOT being homophobic! I was just-"  
  
"I don't get it!" Buffy yelled, once again interrupting the Witch, "Your mom was so liberal about so many things, and yet somehow she raised a closed minded little girl!" Willow was shocked; she had no idea that the Slayer felt so strongly for Gays, Bis, and lesbians. "Oh sure, you have no problem with people dating demons or deadly monsters but when it comes to two humans in love it 'JUST WRONG'!" There was so much Ice in Buffy's tone it made Willow freeze before she defended herself.  
  
"Buffy." Willow stated slowly, Resolve-Face set, "I am not Homophobic. I was ONLY talking about the idea of YOU and FAITH. I have nothing against gay people." Part of Buffy's mind believed that she was telling the truth, but the rest of it was still in Fight-Or-Flight mode. "Trust me when I say this." Willow smiled softly, taking Buffy's hand, running her thumb over the Slayer's softly.  
  
"Oh." Buffy glanced down at their joined hands. She once again felt the heat that seemed to envelope her every time they'd touched recently. She slowly raised her eyes back up to Willow's.  
  
Willow was near panicking. She had just admitted that she was Bisexual, and to Buffy of all people! She'd never told anyone before, not even Xander. She was breathing heavily, and her pulse was racing. Willow was about to faint due to lack of oxygen flow to the brain.  
  
"Willow . . ." Buffy whispered, almost reverently. The Slayer walked forward until there was only an inch between them. She raised her free hand and lightly held the Witch's face, the skin feeling like warm rose petals under her fingers. Willow closed here eyes and sighed, her body lavished in the essence of Buffy. The Slayer leaned forward, enjoying that familiar Cheery-Cranberry smell that seemed to derive from her friend.  
  
Buffy lightly touched the tips of their noses, her acute Slayer Senses overwhelmed with all things Willow. She softly teased the red-head with the light touches, enjoying the way they made the girl shiver and gasp silently. Buffy moved her hand back to cradle the head, readying to kiss the Witch. {She's gonna kiss me!} Willow thought excitedly, {She's finally going to kiss me!}  
  
But nothing came.  
  
Willow opened her eyes to see that Buffy had moved back away from her, a worried look on the Slayer's face. She dropped Willow's hand and looked away. Buffy nervously ran a hand through her hair, and picked up her dropped bathroom stuff.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow whispered, scared that she had done something wrong. "What's wrong?"  
  
"No, Will," Buffy put her stuff back down and quickly hugged her friend. "It's not you, okay? It's not your fault, alright?" she whispered into her friend's ear. She quickly had to pull away, the feeling of their two bodies together was too much for her already overloaded senses. "It's just . . ."  
  
"You don't like me like that?" Willow guessed, having had it said to her before, countless times.  
  
"No, Wills, that's not it." Buffy laughed quietly. "In fact you're the only woman I've ever felt this way about . . ." Buffy when back to gathering up her toiletries, so she missed the HUGE grin on the Willow's face. "It's just the wrong time." The grin left as quickly as it had arrived.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Now's just not the right time." Buffy stood back up, shower-gear in hand. "I just had two really bad break-ups. And, Will . . ." She gave Willow's hand a quick squeeze, "You and I just spent the night grieving over the fact that Oz left. You need time to heal, and I need to be the best friend. Changing the metaphorical bandages and that type of thing." She looked down at the floor.  
  
"But Buffy," Willow whispered, worried she had lost her chance with the Slayer, "You can help me heal by being with me?" the witch whispered in her little-girl voice.  
  
"No, Willow. I don't want to be a Band-Aid, use once then thrown away. If that means I have to wait, then so be it." She walked to the door with her bathroom stuff in hand, and opened it. "You're worth waiting for." Willow gave a winning smile, happy just knowing that there'd be a chance for them later. "I'll see you Psych, okay?"  
  
"Okay." She closed the door behind her, as a much happier Willow then the night before flopped down on then bed.  
  
{Author's Note: REVIEW! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!}  
  
(PS: I know I promised smoochies, but I realized that kisses would work out better later. Plus, sorry about the fact that I suck at writing all the romantic stuff . . .)  
  
V*X*N 


	6. Class Notes

= = = (Class Notes) = = =  
  
Willow sat in her seat, wondering what Buffy was doing right then. The witch had gotten her stuff together and went to get a Mocha while Buffy showered and changed. She'd gone to Psych Class early to get them their usual seats. Riley had come up to her and was telling her about the night before  
  
"She didn't blow me off . . . she just left with another guy." Willow frowned at that, wondering what Riley had seen. "Or, at least, that's what I heard. Forest had said that she'd spent most of our short talk looking over my shoulder at some guy, and when he left she took off after him." Willow had to keep in a smile at that, realizing that it had been herself that Buffy had been watching. "She didn't even give me an excuse. She just said 'Sorry, I've gotta go' and took off. I can't believe it, I choked!"  
  
"You really, really did." Willow said, as nicely as she could.  
  
"I don't understand! I'm good at things. That's what I do! I work hard, apply myself, and get it done." He said sounding genuinely confused.  
  
"Well, you failed extremely well." The red-head stated, trying to keep her happiness down. Truth be told, she was happy that the slightly Teutonic TA had made an ass of himself.  
  
Just then Prof. Walsh walked in, Buffy creeping silently at her heals. She jogged to her seat next to Willow, giving Riley a short wave as she passed him. He took his place at the front of the class, waiting for the Professor to start the lecture. Willow smiled as she watched Buffy take out her stuff. Once Buffy had her Notebook and pen, she settled in her seat.  
  
Buffy noticed the stair, and turned to smile back. Soon the lecture was under way, and both girls were listening intently. Willow, who was busy taking color-coded notes, looked up often to see if there had been any diagrams or charts that she could try and copy down. There were no visual aids, but she did notice that Riley was fidgeting slightly, and he hadn't taken his eyes off Buffy once since she had walked into the room.  
  
This made Willow a little worried. She knew that Buffy didn't like Riley like that, but she was still slightly jealous. She also felt sorry for the guy. Here he was trying really hard to get the attention of a girl, who was mutually in love with her best-friend, and he had gone to Willow for advice on how to court Buffy. {Well,} willow thought, {I'm gonna make him work for it!} If he was trying so hard to Get Buffy's attention, then he'd get it.  
  
Willow pulled out another sheet of paper and quickly wrote a message on it, passing it to the Slayer.  
  
'Look at Riley' the blond read. She looked up to the front of the class, finding Riley, and tried to figure out what was going on. Riley had froze. He had no idea what to do now that he had Buffy's attention, so he just sorta stood there, slightly open mouthed. Buffy looked at Willow as if to say 'What?' Willow took the sheet of paper and wrote 'He was doing something before. You just missed it.' She handed it to Buffy.  
  
Buffy looked up at Riley again, he froze. Buffy shook her head, smiling lightly, and started to write on the paper herself. Willow gave the TA an exasperated look while the blond couldn't see. Riley looked back apologetically and shrugged. Buffy handed her the note.  
  
'Do you think he's cute?' this comment made Willow's heart stop. {At least I THOUGHT she didn't like him like that!} she quickly looked up at Buffy, she looked curious. Willow slowly turned back to the paper, and wrote her response.  
  
'No, why? Do you?' Buffy smiled knowingly, as if she knew something the Witch didn't. She looked at Willow and shook her head no. she took a minute to write a slightly longer message, then passed it to her friend.  
  
'Willow, it's cool if you like him. I don't, but he's seems to be your type. Plus, he could be the perfect Band-Aid . . . I said I'll wait.' Willow looked up, slightly confused. Buffy smiled back at her. Willow shook her head slightly, wanting to laugh at the very thought. She wrote one last note, and showed it to Buffy. It read: 'I think you and I need to talk . . .' Buffy smiled, thinking she knew what about, and Willow shook her head, amused at the thought of her and Riley together.  
  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
= = = (Seriously Confused) = = =  
  
.  
  
As the class ended both girls packed their things away into their bags. When they started to walk through the doors, Willow turned to Buffy saying  
  
"Buffy, I think you and I need to talk. This whole thing with Riley is-"  
  
"Hey Buffy, you enjoy class?" Speak of the Devil, Riley had fallowed them out of the lecture.  
  
"Um, yeah I did." Buffy looked between her best friend and the TA. "But I have to run," she gave the Witch a pointed look, "You know . . . gotta go to my next class." And with that she took off.  
  
"Buffy wait!" Willow called, but Buffy just kept walking. "I don't know what I'm gonna do with her . . ."  
  
"I think it's me." Riley said smiling, "I think I repel her somehow. Every time she gets near me she has to run off seconds later. Wonder why that is?" he mused.  
  
"Riley, I think there's a hitch in the plan." Willow said delicately.  
  
"What? What's wrong? Is she seeing someone else?" He looked both worried and disappointed.  
  
"Well . . ." Willow started, then remember that in reality they weren't together. "She thinks that I like you. I told her that I don't, but she seems really set on it."  
  
"She thinks that you like me?" Riley repeated. Still slightly confused.  
  
"Yeah. She wants me to 'go for you', but -and let's get this straight- I don't want to. Also, she had a really bad break-up with a guy she'd been with for a long time. And I'm sure you heard about the whole Parker thing . . ."  
  
"Yeah, I did. That guy has a big mouth. The comments he made about Buffy really bothered me . . ." Riley looked at the ground, then back up at Willow " . . . I kinda' punched him because of it."  
  
"Also," Willow started slowly wanting to be very careful with this next piece of information, since she herself didn't know how to deal with it, "I just found out that she's kinda had her eye on someone else for a while. I think she'd going to try and peruse it."  
  
"Is it that Xander guy?" Riley asked quickly. Willow laughed.  
  
"No, but good guess."  
  
"Well, then I'll just have to show her that I'm better then who ever this guy is." Willow frowned at this. She knew that if Riley tried hard enough he could probably get Buffy as his girl-friend {NOT GOOD! Definitely NOT of the good!} she thought.  
  
"I dunno. They've known each other for a long time, and she knows that they like her back. They really want to get together, but-"  
  
"They live to far apart?" Riley guessed.  
  
"No," Willow answered quickly, "they live quite close. They just want to give each other time. Buffy's had it rough as far as relationships go." Riley nodded, as though in understanding. Willow knew he didn't really get it, and was going to feel REALLY guilty when he found out { . . . okay, and probably a little Smug too. But just for Good Measure!}  
  
They both said their good-byes, and headed off the their next classes. Willow only had one more, and she knew Buffy still had two. She knew that the Slayer would go get Lunhc and then head over to Giles' to check in with him. {I'll just head her off at the pass . . .}  
  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
(Author's Note: I hope you guys like it, and I bet you can guess what's going to happen next [It starts with an S and rhymes with Poochie!] Leave me a note to tell me what you think!) 


	7. Fire and Lightning

(Author's Note: Sorry about the long de-lay between the chapters! I just had a HUGE amount of work to do, and I still do, but I felt guilty about my lack-of-updates. I know that I promised smoochies, and you'll get them! [Please remember that I suck at romance, so don't get your hopes up too much!] Enjoy, and DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!)  
  
= = = (*Fire and Lightning*) = = =  
  
Buffy turned the knob and opened the door, stepping into Giles' apartment. As she walked through the door she quickly took a deep breath, preparing to yell for her watcher.  
  
"GI-!" she started, but stopped when she was Willow resting on the Englishman's couch. She slowly sauntered over to the red-head, and the witch smiled up at her.  
  
"Hey there Slayer," Willow said, lazily.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked suspiciously, though she was smiling broadly.  
  
"I only had one class after psych, so I went and got lunch, and decided to wait for you to drop by after your English Lit. class . . ." Willow said quietly. Little did the two girls know that they were not alone. Giles was watching them from the top of the stairs. He wanted to give the two girls a bit of privacy. {Surely they'll be talking about their personal live, and that's none of my business!} he'd thought.  
  
"You know me too well." Buffy said, flopping down on the couch next to her.  
  
"I have to. I'm the best friend." Willow put her hand on the Slayer's knee. Buffy looked down at it, and put her own over the Witch's. both girls smiled as they linked fingers.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow started delicately, "We need to talk about Riley. It's not what you think . . ." Willow got up, letting go of the Slayer's hand.  
  
"Then what is it?" she asked, her voice finally revealing the jealousy she secretly felt. Willow kneeled before the blond.  
  
"He came to me," Willow started, putting a hand on each of Buffy's knees, "Looking for advice on how to get you to like him." Buffy looked downright shocked. "Yeah, you." Willow said, laughing.  
  
"He REALLY not my type!" Buffy said, holding in a laugh.  
  
"What just 'cause he's not dead . . ?" Willow said jokingly, knowing that if anyone else had said that they'd get Slayer-Slapped. Buffy smiled wryly and laughed sarcastically at her friend's joke.  
  
"No! It's cause he's a cheese obsessed psychology weirdo that seems to be stalking me." Willow had to bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Not to mention Teutonic."  
  
"Buffy, I think I'd better explain this whole cheese thing!" the witch laughed.  
  
"What? Did he grow up on a dairy farm?" Willow shook her head smiling.  
  
"He came to me saying that he liked you, and that he wanted to date you. He also mention the fact that he didn't know anything about you and that limited the amount of things he could talk to you about." Buffy raised an eyebrow at this. "He asked me what you liked so he could try to try to have a conversation with you. For reason known to you and unknown to Riley, I wasn't very forth-coming." Willow blushed, and Buffy smiled.  
  
"You're cute when you blush." The slayer whispered. The witch turned a dark shade of crimson.  
  
"I wanted to give him something. He's a pretty cool guy, and I thought you'd like him . . . but I also didn't want to make it too easy for him."  
  
"And . . ." Buffy encouraged.  
  
"And I told him that you like cheese." Both girls laughed. "And at the party I told him that you like to dance, and that's when he told me he didn't know how." Buffy each of Willow's hands in her own, pulling the witch in close.  
  
"What would Riley do if he found out you set him up to fail?" Buffy said in mock indignation. Willow smiled, and turn away as she blushed.  
  
"I told him to back off." Willow said embarrassed. "I told him that you had your eye on someone else, and that you were just waiting for the right time." Willow took a long pause, and looked the Slayer in the eye, he worry visible. "Did I lie to him?"  
  
"No." the blond responded, shaking her head. She pulled the red- head closer, the faces inches apart, and whispered to her breathily, "And I've got more then just an eye on you . . ." she leaned forward and capture the pink lips that rested mere inches from her own.  
  
A slow dull heat started to grow in the Slayer's stomach getting more and more scorching with each passing second. Buffy let go of the witch's hands and ran them up the girl's arms. Her palms wrapping around the red- head's hips she pulled he closer. Willow was now straddling the Blonde's lap.  
  
Willow gasped at the electrifying touch from the Slayer's fingers. The Witch's mouth opened, welcoming the shorter girl's seeking tongue. Time seemed to speed up as Buffy gently explored her mouth. Willow had never been kissed like this, Oz had always kissed her slowly and mathematically. This was Raw, and Passionate, and Wild and Willow was enjoying every second of it. She ran her hands through silky blond hair, thinking of how many times she'd wanted to do this, remembering how many years she had wasted before finally telling Buffy how she felt.  
  
Then suddenly it was all over. They had snapped apart, Buffy was in need of Oxygen and Willow was long past due. They rested their foreheads against each-other's, panting slightly. Willow open her eyes to find Buffy's hazel ones looking at her piercingly, as though trying to see past her face and into her soul (or possibly deeper). She looked worried.  
  
"Willow," Buffy said slowly, "I-"  
  
"Buffy, please!" She whispered urgently, "Don't take it back. Please, don't take that away from me? I've wanted to do that for so long . . ." Willow trailed off almost tearful. Buffy pulled the girl tightly to her, rocking gently.  
  
"I won't take it back." She whispered in her ear, "But I won't do it again." At that Willow let slip a sob she had been holding in. Buffy pulled back and looked at the crying vision of Willow. "At least not for a while." She smiled and gave the witch a short peck on the cheek. She pulled the girl to her again until Willow spoke.  
  
"Uh, Buffy?" Willow asked slowly, having regained her composer, "Why am I on your lap?" Both girls separated, and looked at their sitting arrangements. Willow's knees were wrapped around the Slayer's hips, and still gripped them rather tightly, as she sat on the blonde's lap. Buffy looked up at Willow, surprise written on her face. "I don't remember moving."  
  
"I think I might have pulled you . . ." Buffy said grimacing. Both girls blushed as Willow got up. She walked over to Giles' chair and sighed as she sat down. She realized that it had been more comfortable sitting with Buffy.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow whispered, "How long is a while?" Buffy smiled, and mouthed 'Soon' as Giles slowly descended the stairs.  
  
(Author's Note #2: REMEMBER TO REVIEW! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!)  
  
[Spoiler: Next chapter will take place during the episode that would have been titled "Pangs" (the thanx-giving one), except that I've kinda made this AU, what with the whole Willow/Buffy thing . . .] 


	8. Pangs Of Loss

Takes place about a week after the last chapter. Riley is still after Buffy but she and Willow have a silent understanding that they need to heal emotionally before the two girls get together. Takes place after the awkward silence at the end of 'Pangs' (I felt that I didn't have to rewrite the Ep. with Buffy/Willow undertones because they were kinda already there).  
  
[Author's Note: I updated my other FanFic, and felt guilty. Please note: This may not have the same voice as my other chapters as I wrote it during my Biology class instead of during Calculus . . . Hope you like it!]  
  
= = = (*Pangs Of Loss*) = = =  
  
Willow and Buffy walked slowly down the path towards the dorm. The mention of Angel's visit had put the Slayer into a recoiled state. She'd not said a word since the Vampire had been brought up at the dinner table.  
  
"That was a really amazing dinner Buffy," Willow said, trying to get the Slayer out of her armor, "Where did you learn to cook like that?" The witch looked to Buffy for a response, but all she got was a shrug. {She won't even look at me . . .} She thought, {I was a fool to think Buffy would ever like me}. Willow too fell into silence, thinking of what might have happened if Angel hadn't forced her favorite Slayer into an emotional regression.  
  
{Maybe we'd go back to the dorm and she'd kiss me again! Oh! Or we might have gotten back to the room, and she'd tell me that she was ready to start dating again, and then she'd kiss me-} Willow's thoughts continued on like this until they walked through the door to their room. Willow put her stuff down and walked over to her dresser. She watched Buffy walked to the foot of her bed and stand there for a few minutes. Willow changed into her night-clothes, all the while keeping a close eye on the blond. The most movement she saw for the Slayer was when she toed her shoes off.  
  
Willow picked up her bathroom stuff and walked to the door. She opened it, and started to walked threw, but stopped. She turned to Buffy and said, "I'm going to go brush my teeth, okay?" no response, the Slayer didn't even blink. "I'll be right back, are you going to be okay in here by yourself?" Still nothing, not even a nod. Willow hurriedly walked down to the communal bathroom. As fast as she could she washed her face and brushed her teeth.  
  
When Willow first walked into the room she had thought Buffy had left. After a few seconds of panic, she noticed the Slayer's bed. The sheets had been messily pulled up at the foot of the bed, and in the center of the mattress was a small lump. Willow sighed sadly. {Oh Buffy,} Willow thought to herself, {What did Angel ever do to deserve you? And how could he treat you like this . . . ?} The Witch put her stuff down on the small desk, and walked to the foot of the bed.  
  
"Buffy?" she asked the lump quietly. It flinched, and seemed to shrink. Willow wanted to cry over how sad and helpless the Slayer looked. Here was this amazingly powerful woman that she loved and admired, and she was reduced to a catatonic state by an old boy-friend. On a sudden burst of confidence, Willow grabbed the untucked blankets, and crawled under them as well.  
  
After burrowing through the sheets a bit, Willow made it to the center. Maneuvering behind the blond, the Witch spooned her self around her best friend. Slowly and gently she wrapped her arms around Buffy's middle, waiting to be told to 'Go Away'. But still, nothing came.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow whispered in to the girl's ear. Then it happened. Buffy started shaking with silent tears. Willow held her tighter, and as Buffy tried to take another staggering breath a strangled sob was released. It was simply the first leak to spring in the Slayer's Emotional Damn.  
  
"Why?" she sobbed quietly, "Why is he doing this to me? I was happy again, I really was!" Willow just held her friend as she wept. She knew that Buffy had to vent to get over it, and she knew that all she could be was be there for her. "He didn't even say 'Hello' to me! Would that have been to much to ask? No, Angel has to snoop around and talk to my friends, and ignore me completely . . ." Whispered more to herself then to anyone else.  
  
"He was worried Buffy, that's why he stopped by." Willow whispered, giving the girl a squeeze. Buffy just kept weeping quietly, trying not to concentrate on the passionate heat that Willow's hug was instilling in her. She shook herself mentally {Don't think like that! You love Angel, and he came to see you . . .} Buffy thought, but once again, the other voice in her head replied. {But you love Willow too, don't you?}  
  
{Yeah, So? Willow's still pining over Oz, and I miss Angel. I can't think about that right now!}  
  
{Why not? It'll make you feel better.}  
  
{NO!} Buffy screamed in her head, the tears flowing harder at her internal frustration, {I don't want it to be like that! I want to know that I Love Willow for Willow, not because I simply can't have Angel . . . that would be wrong.}  
  
{But you loved her before? What's so wrong about enjoying it now?}  
  
{Because.} Buffy stated to herself flatly, {If I do something now I'll regret it for the rest of my life. She or I will spend the rest of our time together wondering if I did it because I REALLY loved her, or simply because she was 'convenient' . . . Willow deserves better then that. When I'm with Willow I want to know that it's because I wouldn't want to be with anyone else.}  
  
{That's what I wanted to hear.} The voice faded, leaving Buffy to her confused thoughts.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow asked quietly, "Please, talk to me?" Willow waited, but only silence fallowed. Willow started to relax, deciding to stay with the Slayer until she fell asleep, when she heard it.  
  
"Thanks." Came the blonde's raspy whisper.  
  
"Hey, not thanks needed. I'll take any excuse to Hug you, you know that." Willow gave her another squeeze and Buffy laughed, the emotion still evident in her voice. "Plus, I owe you a cheer-up. Though the last one was kinda mutual, I think you helped me A LOT more then I helped you . . ." she said, " . . . (or so it seems) . . ." she added in a whisper. There was a long minute of silence, fallowed by Buffy wrapping her arms around Willow's.  
  
"I haven't lied to you in a long time, you know." She whispered to the Copper-top, who was more then just a little confused now.  
  
"I know." Willow replied, hoping the Slayer would elaborate.  
  
"Not for a long, LONG time . . ." Buffy said pointedly, as though this was a hint to some puzzle that the Witch didn't understand.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
" . . . Nothing . . ." Buffy whispered, suddenly very tired.  
  
"No, Buffy, what are you talking about?" Willow whispered, wanting to know what on earth the Blond was trying to tell her.  
  
"I'll explain later . . ." came the Slayer's last whisper as she fell into a deep Tear-induced sleep. Willow sighed. She was about to get up and go to her own bed when she realized something. Being wrapped up in the Slayer was a lot more comfortable then just sleeping alone. {It's even better then sleeping with Oz} she thought.  
  
Willow was recovering nicely, she was no longer upset every time she thought of the dirty, cheating, Dog-Of-A-Man also know as Daniel Osborne. And now, more then ever, she was set on making Buffy happy, and her own. {Jeez! Possessive Much Rosenberg?} The Red-Head cuddled up behind her best friend, and slowly and leisurely fell into sleep, enjoying the fuzzy bunny feeling she get every time she was close to the Slayer. 


	9. Flashes Of Truth

Author's Note: Hope you like this chapter, also written during Biology (not Calculus), so if you don't like the style . . . . TELL ME! I'll go back to Brainstorming during my dull math sessions!  
  
= = = (*Flashes Of Truth*) = = =  
  
Buffy was dozing, trying to sleep off her Tears and Thanksgiving Turkey. She was deeply asleep, dreaming of something that she couldn't explain. They felt like memories, but she knew they couldn't be. {There's just no way!} she told herself, {They can't have happened!} . . . but they had. She was remembering what happened while she'd been Cave Slayer. The Cursed Beer had forced her to forget, and like the Mystery Voice had told her, the memories were returning in her dreams.  
  
They came in flashes, like lightning. She could only see through her mind's muddled darkness for a second, then it was just as quickly gone. What she saw excited her and scared her. It made her blood boil, and her heart race. Every few seconds the flickers of memories came, in full sound and color. And all of them containing Willow.  
  
Flash! Willow crying on her bed, and then back to darkness. Flash! Cave Slayer giving Willow a hug. Blackness again. Flash! Buffy picking up the Witch and laying her down on the bed comfortably. Emptiness. Buffy was so confused, the flashes were fast and bright and she could see it as though she was there. She could feel every touch she watched herself partake in . . . {But they cannot be real!} she told her self, {they CAN'T be!}  
  
Flash! Buffy holding Willow on the bed. Flash! Buffy kissing Willow without resistance. Flash! Willow kissing her back! The flashes were faster now, blending slightly. Coming together like the notes of a skipping CD. She could feel Willow's lips, smell the Witch's hair. It was all so intense and overwhelming. Faster and faster the flashes came until they melded together like a flipbook of memories. {No! This Can't Be! She Would Have Told Me! NO!}  
  
She watched herself lay the Witch to the bed, and crawl up next to her. She remembered stroking her best friends face, the soft skin like warm porcelain, thinking how much she wanted to make her smile. She could feel herself kissing the tears away; saw the shocked look in Willow's eyes. Then came the heat. The heat Buffy had felt every time the two of them touched since that night. The same burning fiery desire that took her over like a title wave of want. She watched herself lean down and connect lips with the Witch. {Our First Kiss . . .} Buffy thought, {I'm sorry I couldn't remember it . . . }  
  
Buffy watched as her Cave-Slayer-Self kissed her shocked best friend, who slowly began to kiss back. She gently held the redhead around the middle, her prehistoric-self being as formidable as possible. Willow gripped her tightly, pulling her in close. Buffy was really heating up, she and Willow had kissed only once (in Buffy's modern-mentality), and that was NOTHING like this! Willow was submissive yet demanding as the feeling of her warm tongue ran across the Slayer's lip. Buffy could only watch as she saw (and felt) her hand find it's way to the bottom of her best- friend's shirt. {Oh God, NO!} But, it was too late: she couldn't change the past.  
  
Buffy watched in horror, worried that Willow would refuse the Cave-Slayer and that she would forcibly take what she wanted from the Witch. But that wasn't the case. Just as Buffy felt her fingers making their way under the fabric, she felt Willow's hand cover her own.  
  
'No, Buffy, don't do that.' Rang in her head. She felt her face contort into a sad frown, and her voice say the words 'Willow no like?' She sounded disappointed. Willow shook her head, 'No, Buffy, I like it, I just don't think we should.' Willow said comfortingly. 'Want make girl feel better . . . Girl so sad.' Willow sighed, and Buffy quickly kissed her. 'I know. But Buffy, you shouldn't do it if it's just to make me feel better.'  
  
She felt herself smile 'Not just that . . .' she kissed the redhead soundly. Willow looked suspicious 'Why else are you doing it?', Buffy sat back slightly, whispering her answer 'You make Buffy feel Happy . . .' Buffy answered slowly, hands trailing down her stomach, 'Make Buffy happy down here . . .' Willows eyes bugged as Buffy placed her hands just below her belly-button, over the zipper of her jeans. 'Buffy, I dunno-' Willow started, but was cut off. 'Buffy want make Willow Happy.' She kissed the Witch deeply taking her time to come back up for air 'VERY happy . . .' she finished. Willow was panting slightly, but nodded.  
  
Buffy wanted to scream, she was in complete shock. {How could this have happened? How could Willow not have told me!?} Buffy looked on in astonishment as she climbed back atop her friend, once again kissing her vigorously. She shuddered with a mingling of guilt and pleasure as she felt her hand cup the Witch's breast over the shirt. It was brief, but it was indescribable. Even in her mind Buffy was panting, then slowly it started to fade.  
  
The memories slowed, and the flashed returned. Flash! The Kisses slowing. Flash! The two girls stair at each other. Flash! The phone rings, Oz on the other end. Darkness. Flash: Buffy curling up and going to sleep.  
  
.  
  
Emptiness.  
  
.  
  
Flash: Willow hanging up the phone, and curling up next to her.  
  
.  
  
Nothingness.  
  
.  
  
Flash: The Slayer and the Witch.  
  
.  
  
Black. Shadows, Stillness, and Silence. Total and complete. The Dream fades, but the memories stay. The truth was unveiled, and all she wanted to do was cover it back up. Shame, and Guilt. All that's left is that feeling of unquenchable Heat and the taste of Willow . . .  
  
{ . . . What A Rush!}  
  
~ ViXeN ~ 


	10. In Need Of Explanations

= = = (*In Need Of Explanations*) = = =  
  
Willow awoke slowly the next morning, thinking about the odd dream she'd had. It had something to do with talking bunches of broccoli, and a Labrador on Ice-Skates. {I think I had too much Turkey before bed!}. Willow was just about to cozy-up and go back to sleep when she realized The Slayer had gone. She shot up, only to find that she was slightly trapped. Both she and Buffy had crawled under tucked sheets, and she was having a good deal of trouble getting herself out. {How did Buffy crawl out of this without me noticing?} She wondered.  
  
Once she had finally freed herself form the confines of the bed, she looked around the room. No sign of Buffy anywhere. She looked at the desks for a note, but there was none. She had just gone to the phone to call Giles when the door opened. Buffy walked through, looking at the carpet. She rested against the back of the door, and Willow walked over to her. The Slayer raised an arm, silently asking the Witch not to come any closer. Willow didn't.  
  
"Buffy! Where were you?" Buffy looked down at her shuffling feet for a few moments, not answering. Willow started walking forward, wanting to comfort the Slayer, but she raised her hand again. {Angel's visit must have effected her more than I'd thought . . .} Little did the Witch know that is was Willow that had Buffy so upset. She frowned, wanting to comfort her best-friend. "Buffy, please . . . tell me?"  
  
"I . . . I . . ." Buffy started, but faltered. She found it very hard to look at the redhead. "I went to take a shower." She lied. She noticed Willow look at her toiletries sitting across the room (untouched), and glance at her hair (which was completely dry). She heard Willow heave a small sigh.  
  
"I know you're lying to me," she said, "I don't know what makes you think you have to . . . or why you're acting so skittish, but I just wanted to make sure you're okay." She paused and made another attempt to came closer. Buffy stopped her again. "ARE you okay?" Willow asked feebly.  
  
"I'm Fine." Buffy answered, a little too quickly for Willow's liking. Buffy turned the knob and started walking through it. She turned to face her friend, finally looking her in the eye. "Get dressed, I told Giles we'd all meet at his house for a post Indian-Raid Clean up." She looked at the floor again, then looked up, "Plus I left some of my mom's dishes. I'll see you there."  
  
Then she walked down the hall, leaving a scared Willow in her tracks. Buffy had never really acted like that around her before. Certainly not recently. Willow changed as quickly as possible, and jogged over to Giles' apartment. She stood on the stoop for a few seconds, not sure what she should do. She needed to talk to Buffy, but she didn't want to have to do it in front of all the other Scoobies. She nervously ran her fingers through her short Copper locks.  
  
"Hey! Will, What's up?" Willow jumped. Xander had appeared out of nowhere behind her. He had Anya with him, and they seemed to be waiting for her answer.  
  
"Uh, I was j-just-"  
  
"She looks nervous." Anya stated in her blunt way. "All fidgety and stuttering." Xander gave her arm a small squeeze, and whispered something in her ear. "But it's true!" Xander smiled at Willow and walked past her to the door. He rang the bell and the three of them waited to be let in. Giles opened the door and welcomed them inside.  
  
Willow walked in slowly, looking around at all the damage that had been done. The small side table had been turned right way up, many of the small windows had been broken, and there were arrows everywhere. Willow looked around for something to do. Then she heard a clatter coming from the direction of the Kitchen. Looking through the breakfast-nook, the witch spotted Buffy, washing dishes in the sink. Gathering her courage, she walked over to help the blond.  
  
"It's okay Willow, I got. Go help Giles with the arrow-removals." Willow pouted, but Buffy didn't see. She was too focused on cleaning. She walked over to Giles for instructions. They worked for about half an hour, then Xander offered to go out and get them some coffee and doughnuts. They all agreed, and he took Anya with him. Once all the arrow holes had been patched, Giles offered for Willow to go help Buffy with the Kitchen clean-up.  
  
"Giles sent me in here to help you. Seems this is all that's left . . ." Willow walked forward to the sink, but Buffy interrupted.  
  
"Do you know how to clean an Oven?" She didn't even look up at the Witch, but knew that she'd nodded. "Then why don't you do that, I didn't really understand the instructions on the bottle." She just kept scrubbing. That's when Willow noticed something. Buffy was still scrubbing the same pot. She put her hand over the Slayer's, but Buffy shook it off. Willow grabbed her hand and forced it out of the sudsy water. She took the basting ban by the handle and lifted it. Once it'd freed the water surface, Willow's eyes bugged. Buffy had scrubbed right through the copper through to the lead center.  
  
Buffy snatched it back, and started dying it. {Buffy's avoiding me . . . Why is Buffy avoiding me? Just last night she told me she hadn't lied to me in a 'long' while, and then first thing she does the next day is just that! What did I do?} Buffy suddenly turned to Willow, looking like she was going to yell at her. Willow recoiled, and backed against the closed over. Buffy's face softened. She turned back to her pots and pans.  
  
"Buffy?" she whispered, reaching out to touch the Blond. Buffy slammed the pot down, and turned angrily towards the Witch. "Buffy what's wrong?" Willow asked terrified at the way her best-friend was acting.  
  
"What's Wrong? WHAT'S WRONG?!" She roared, unaware of the startled Giles watching from the living room. Willow was shocked, she'd not expected a reaction like this to Angel visiting. Buffy picked up the new pot again and returned to cleaning it. She glanced furiously at Willow every few seconds. He was huffing like a Bull getting ready to charge. Then it slowed. The heated cleaning wound down, her near growling silenced, and she closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she clamed. "Why?" she whispered.  
  
"W-w-why What?" A scared Willow asked quietly.  
  
"Why did you lie to me, Willow?" Buffy asked, turning a teary face towards her friend.  
  
"He asked me not to tell you he was-"  
  
"NOT ANGEL!" Buffy roared again, "ME! Why did you not tell ME!" she asked desperately. Willow looked confused. "When I asked you what Happened when I was Cave-Slayer, why didn't you tell me everything?" Willow's eyes bugged as she realized what Buffy meant. "Is that why?" Buffy whispered, her voice horse from bother her yelling and her tears. "Is that why you would always blush when I talked about it? . . . . . Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I-I-I . . . . I thought-" she stammered.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked gently, her voice still horse, "Please, just tell me why you lied . . . why you kept this from me . . ." Willow now had silent tears rolling down her face, as she tried to think of words to explain what'd happened. "Was I just a moment of weakness? Another Xander?" She whispered, fear making her voice shake.  
  
"No! No, Buffy, not at all like that! The whole thing with Xander was over you-" Buffy looked at her confused, "But I'll explain that later . . ." she finished quietly.  
  
"Then why?" she whispered. Willow leaned dejectedly against the counter. Unable to find the words to explain it without scaring the Slayer away.  
  
"Shame. Not because of you, but more because of me. Buffy, I've liked you . . . for a while now. And that was the first time I ever even thought you liked me back. You of all people must know what it's like to want something you know you can never have?" Willow looked at Buffy sadly. {Angel} Buffy thought.  
  
"I was weak. You wanted to be with me, and I was so lonely. Oz had been spending so much time with Veruca, and I knew that I wasn't going to get him back." Willow accidentally let out a sob she'd been trying so hard to hold in. "He was the only person that even showed an interest in me . . . EVER, really. Xander just wanted me because I was there." Willow looked at the floor for a few seconds, then looked Buffy in the eye again.  
  
"Buffy. What would you do if Angel showed up, telling you he loved you, and that he was human again?" More tears slipped down the redhead's cheeks, but she never broke eye contact. "I was just so happy that you actually wanted to be with me that I didn't even stop to think about why at first."  
  
"At first, but you did remember eventually. Why didn't you tell me?" Buffy too was crying, though she had regained control of her voice.  
  
"I knew that you'd never want me if it hadn't been for the cursed beer. I knew that THAT was the only explanation. You were only with ME because I was convenient . . . even with the beer. But Oz . . . he was the only person that really liked me for me (with out the influence of magic). And although I knew he was getting over me, I wanted to be with him as long as possible. I couldn't tell him . . . . and I couldn't tell you." She heaved a sigh and sank to the floor, her back against Giles' cabinets. Buffy gently sat down next to her, wanting to hear the end of the explanation.  
  
"Buffy, the next morning, you told me you didn't remember anything . . . I was so torn. I wanted you to remember SO BADLY . . . but at the same time I didn't. I knew that you'd feel grossed out and disgusted. I thought you'd think I was sickening and perverse . . ." she looked at Buffy, tears still running down her face, "And I was right, wasn't I?" After a difficult internal struggle, Buffy wrapped the crying Willow into a hug. She held her tightly, hushing her comfortingly.  
  
Willow held onto her for dear life. She'd never regretted anything as much as she did this. She wished she'd told Buffy the truth from the beginning, though she wasn't so sure that would have had much better results. She wished she had never kissed Buffy while she was cursed, and yet it had been one of the best experiences of her life.  
  
"Willow, Shh. Shh. It's gonna be okay." Buffy whispered, trying to be gentile with the already fragile girl. "To tell you the truth, if Angel had showed up yesterday, human and saying he was in love with me . . . I would still have said no." Willow still clung to her, though her tears had lessoned. "You have meant so much to me for so long, I just didn't see the change. When you stopped being 'Best-Friend-Willow' and became . . . So much more." Buffy whispered. "There were always these little moments that would make me realize there was something in you. Something amazing. Even you must have noticed a few of them?"  
  
"Well, there were a few maybes . . ." she whispered, slightly more comfortable, "But they were so fleeting I kinda played them off as wishful thinking." She still clung to Buffy, whom she noticed hadn't let go yet. Buffy gently stroked her soft red hair, trying to calm the Witch. Willow knew that she was in for it now. There was no way Buffy could go from screaming like that to comforting her. She was about to get some bad news, and she was sure of it.  
  
"Willow, I need to ask you some thing?" Buffy said delicately. "Will you do me a favor?" Willow nodded, looking Buffy in the eye, trying to show her she'd do anything to make it right. Buffy smiled sadly at her. "Will you give me a few days? Juts to think things threw?" Willow went numb. {Buffy's kicking me out! She doesn't want me to be a Scooby anymore! Oh god, it's like I can't breath . . .} Buffy's eyes bugged as she noticed Willow turning from red to purple. "WILLOW?! What's wrong?!" The Witch realized she hadn't been breathing and opened her mouth, gasping for air.  
  
"God, Willow, don't ever scare me like that again!" she grasped the girl and pulled her tightly to her, "You're not a commelion! Stay one color! No more turning purple!" she hugged tightly, worried that she'd hold her breath again.  
  
"Buffy, you really want me to leave?" Willow asked feebly. Buffy pulled back and looked at her best friend, very confused.  
  
"Why would I want you to leave?" she asked.  
  
"Because you're kicking me out of the Slayerettes."  
  
"No I'm not! Why would you think that?!" She looked offended at the very idea. Then Buffy realized, Willow didn't understand. "No, Willow, I just meant the whole You-And-Me thing. You know, how we keep having these things . . . where we, ya know. Have little romantic moments. I just meant that stuff. I might go and stay at my mom's tonight, but I was going over to have dinner and return the pots anyways, But . . ." She trailed off and ran her fingers threw the red tendrils hanging near the Witch's neck. "It's just for now. I still want to be with you, Will. I juts need some time to think, Okay?"  
  
Willow nodded. She was happy to hear that Buffy still wanted to be with her, but worried over the fact that Buffy wasn't going to be in the dorm tonight. {Am I really that bad? Can she not stand to be in the same room as me?} Buffy got up, lifting the Witch, and placing her upright on her feet. She handed her the Oven cleaner, smiling and went back to her dishes. Just then Xander and Anya burst through the door.  
  
"Who wants Jelly-Filled?!" Xander yelled excitedly.  
  
"Me . . ." came the slow drawl from the Kitchen door way. A smirking Spike pushed himself off the door frame towards Xander. Buffy and Willow looked at each-other, realizing they hadn't noticed him standing there. {{HOW MUCH DID HE HEAR?!}}  
  
.  
  
(Author's Note: hope you like it, I took me a fair chunk of time to write! Gotta love the Spike-Shaped Cliff-Hanger too! . . . . Lets see where this leads!)  
  
(SPOILER: Next Chapter Will Take Place During "HUSH" [look-out! Here comes some Crazy Willow-Tara-Buffy chaos in the next few chapters!] ENJOY!) 


	11. Dreaming Of You

= = = (*The Little Things*) = = =  
  
Buffy stood out in the hall, talking to Riley, and waiting for class to start. In the week or so she and Willow had been apart, the blond had spent a lot of time with the Psych TA. Most of that time had been spent catching up on the classes she'd slept through, or couldn't remember because of memory loss caused by Cursed Beer . . .  
  
Though she didn't tell Riley about that. Buffy had simply told Riley she was having trouble fallowing what "The Evil Bitch Monster Of Death" was talking about. He was happy to help the Slayer with her reading comprehension, and Buffy was starting to realize that what Willow had said was true: Riley wasn't such a bad gut after all. He no longer talked about cheese, and Buffy was glad. Though she often worried; she didn't want to lead him on.  
  
As Buffy's watch beeped, proclaiming the hour, she and Riley walked into the Lecture Hall. She walked into find Willow sitting in their usual seats, and (as always) saving one for Buffy. She was always there early, and seemed to gain some amount of joy, no matter how small, at the sight of Buffy smiling at her as she walked in. Buffy sat down next to her best friend, and took out her note taking stuff (though secretly she was planning to take a nap). She rested her head in her left hand, and a sleep slowly took control of her thoughts, the right hand dropped to her side.  
  
Willow listened as intently as ever, taking color-coded notes, and trying not to let her mind wander. Every now and then she'd glance at Buffy, and occasionally at Riley. It'd not gone unnoticed to the Witch how much time Buffy and He had spent together over the last several days, and it was worrying her. The Slayer, it had seemed, had really warmed up to the simple minded TA, and Willow was concerned about how warm they were going to get! She knew she'd lied to Buffy, and she was sorry, but she didn't realize she could loose her in their 'time off'. As she noticed her best friend relax into sleep, she too let her free hand drop. As her right hand continued busily taking notes, the left was slowly inching its way towards the Slayer's . . .  
  
As Willow's hand found Buffy's she was disappointed to find a pen grasped in the blonde's fingers. She pouted slightly. Unknown to the Witch, Riley had seen her sad face, though he had not seen what had gone on under the desks. As Willow continued to take notes with her right hand, the finger of her left drew intricate designs on the back of Buffy's. She glanced at the Slayer, and saw her stir slightly, and felt Buffy's hand shift under her own. The Witch was about to pull her hand away, discouraged by the blonde's reaction to her touch, when she heard a small clatter at the floor by her feet.  
  
Looking down, Willow noticed that it was Buffy's pen. Willow stopped paying attention to the lecture as she glanced at Buffy's hand. It was empty and now turn upward, as though asking to be held. She slowly and carefully slipped her hand into the Slayer's. She watched as the corners of Buffy's lips turned upwards into a sleepy grin. Willow smiled.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
= = = (*Dreaming Of You*) = = =  
  
"I'm talking about communication. Talking. Not the same thing." Prof. Walsh was talking psychology, and as always Buffy wasn't paying attention. She was going on and on about the concept of thought before it actually takes shape, when it's perfect. Buffy could relate, she often had trouble turning her thoughts into words, especially when it came to tell Willow how she felt. Just then she heard Walsh call "Buffy Summers!"  
  
Buffy's head shot up, worried she'd be yelled at for not paying attention. Instead she saw that she was being waved down to the front of the class. Willow smiled her encouragement, so she approached her professor. "A typical collage girl, one assumes. Go lay down on my desk."  
  
"What?" Buffy asked, more then slightly confused.  
  
"Go on, it's perfectly safe." Buffy hopped up on the desk, and reclined slightly "Riley, if you'd assist?" Riley pushed off from the wall were he'd been standing, and walked over past Walsh.  
  
"A demonstration?" he asked skeptically. She nodded.  
  
"Be a good boy." Riley walked over to the table, and leaned over Buffy. She leaned back further, trying to keep away from him. He leaned in again, now Buffy leaned all the way back, putting her hands up to stop his assent. Riley frowned, and turned to Walsh. They both shrugged, looking at Buffy as though they didn't understand. Just then Willow pushed between the two, and smiled at Buffy. Buffy smiled back. Walsh and Riley stood back as Willow put and hand on Buffy waist, and one on her shoulder. She leaned in slowly.  
  
"This feels strange . . ." Buffy whispered to her friend. Willow just smiled and leaned even closer.  
  
"Don't worry. When I kiss you I'll make the sun go down . . ." she whispered. Willow leaned forward, and their lips touched. When Buffy realized she couldn't feel it, she realized she was dreaming. She kissed Willow back soundly, though she was now thoroughly disappointed it was only a dream. As they broke apart, both smiled, and looked around. As Willow helped Buffy off the table, she saw that the sun had indeed gone down, the class empty.  
  
She heard a faint humming like singing coming from the hall. It sounded like a cross between the 'Na Na Na-Na Na' teasing and, 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'. As Buffy fallowed the eerie child's voice she heard the strange words:  
  
"Can't even shout,  
  
Can't even cry,  
  
The gentlemen are coming by!  
  
"Looking in windows  
  
knocking on doors,  
  
they're gonna take seven,  
  
and they might take yours!  
  
"Can't call to mom,  
  
Can't say a word,  
  
You're gonna die screaming,  
  
But you won't be heard!" The singer was a small blond girl, dressed in pajamas, and holding a wooden box with simple designs all over it. Buffy felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, expecting to see Willow behind her. That's not what she saw! Instead she came face to face with a tall pale figure with metal teeth and a HUGE fake smile and blood shot eyes that seemed infinitely evil.  
  
Suddenly, the bell rang, waking Buffy from her dream. Her hand felt warm, and she watched Willow pack up her stuff, a teasing look in her eye.  
  
"Wow, wasn't that class amazing? Especially that last 40 minutes! Explained everything we'd need to know for the final!" the Witch stated in her most convincing voice.  
  
"Just tell me I didn't snore." Buffy said as she gathered her stuff. Her friend smiled at her.  
  
"Very discreet, minimal drool." They both headed towards the door, glad to be free, at least for a little while.  
  
"So, Buffy, have any interesting dreams?" Willow asked excited to hear about Buffy's rest. The Slayer nodded.  
  
"It was weird though-"  
  
"Hey guys," Riley interrupted, "You heading over to Stevenson?"  
  
"Nah, cafeteria bound." Buffy answered.  
  
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, looking from Buffy to Willow and back again. Buffy nodded, and Willow's pout went unnoticed.  
  
"Buffy was just telling me about the dream she had in Psych." Willow interrupted, wanting to hear what had happened.  
  
"Really?" Riley asked, sounding interested, "You know as a Psych major I'm qualified to say things like 'Hmm' and scribble illegible little notes as you tell me about it?" he asked, trying to sound enticing. Buffy smiled, and Willow felt like she needed to leave.  
  
"You know, I just remembered I have that thing . . ." Willow said vaguely, trying to get out of there before Riley started making Buggy eyes, and Buffy hung on to his every word. "I'll see you after Wicca group?" She asked Buffy, who nodded. They waved Willow off, who sneakily went ahead, to a place she knew they would pass so she could listen. She put her note- book in front of her face so they wouldn't see her.  
  
Little did she know that Buffy had seen, and was going to make the Witch Pay for her nosy behavior. "So this dream," Riley asked jovially, "Was I in it?" Buffy smiled.  
  
"There might have been a cameo . . ."  
  
"Just a cameo?" he asked jokingly, as they neared Willow's hiding place.  
  
"More like a staring role . . ." Buffy teased, slightly louder, making sure Willow would hear.  
  
"Romantic lead?" The TA asked excitedly.  
  
"I'm not saying a word . . ." the Slayer said in a sing song voice. Willow watched them leave the building, a frown marring her sweet face. {I wonder what their future kids will look like?} She wondered sadly as she slowly made her way down the hall to Wicca group.  
  
"So what are your plans for this evening?" Riley asked, trying to keep conversation light.  
  
"Patrolling." She stated, forgetting that Riley wasn't a Scooby.  
  
"Patrolling?" he asked, sounding surprised and confused.  
  
"Uhm, I mean petroleum." She corrected quickly.  
  
"Tonight you have crude oil?" he asked skeptically.  
  
"And homework!" she said, trying to get the conversation off her slight flub. He smiled and talked about his work for tonight. Going on about how he had to grade papers. Then a thought came to her. "What papers?" she asked quickly.  
  
"Huh?" he asked, confused by what she meant. He had spaced out while looking at her.  
  
"What papers? We just got our grades back, and all that's left is the final . . ." she stated.  
  
"Oh! Right!" Riley quickly remembered, "Late papers. And, you know, extra-credit." Buffy nodded. They talked for a few more minutes, and then both said their good-byes.  
  
Buffy walked back to her dorm, deciding to do some work before she went to pick up Willow from her Witch-Group. She'd really missed Willow this past week, and she was ready to get back to their old routine. {Well, maybe not EXACTLY like that . . .} she thought smiling, {maybe more Touchy-Feely, I'm-In-Love-With-You and I-Want-To-Make-You-'Happy' then we used to be, but back to spending all of our free time together. I can't wait to get to the Smoochies!} Buffy opened the door to their dorm, and walked in. After putting her stuff down, she stretched out on her bed, counting down the minutes till she got to see her Best Friend again.  
  
.  
  
(Author's note: Hope you like my AU version of 'HUSH', I had to play it all off from memory [except for the Gentlemen's Poem, which was sent to me by me Dear Dear Sammi {THANK YOU SO MUCH!}], so if I got anything wrong 'Sorry, I'm not perfect . . .' is all I have to say to you!  
  
The next chapter will be the beginning of the Willow-Buffy-Tara chaos! BE WARNED! If you read my little Bio-Box you will see that I am also openly a Buffy/Tara fan . . . so there will be chemistry between Buffy/Willow, Willow/Tara, and Buffy/Tara! Don't worry! This is still a Buffy/Willow story, and I won't be too mean to Tara (all you Amber-Holics, please take note that she one of my favorite actresses so she will not have her heart broken!). All you Riley Fans/Haters, sorry, he still becomes a Scooby! HOPE TO GET REVIEWS SOON, Tell Me What You THINK!) ~ViXeN~ 


	12. A New Girl

= = = (*A New Girl*) = = =  
  
While Willow finished her Wicca-Group-Meeting, Buffy stood off to the side, slightly hidden. She was there to make sure that there were no Witches fallowing in Amy's Mom's footsteps. On the bright side she hadn't seen any Witches like that, but on the down side, she doubted there were any Witches there at all (besides Willow). She watched them make fun of her best friend when she'd suggested Spell-Work, and she was sorry to see it. She'd wanted Willow to make Witchy friends, she knew how much a friend like Amy had meant to her. Buffy knew what it was like to feel alone. She missed Faith, if not for her personality then for her destiny. It was nice to know she wasn't alone when it came to being a slayer.  
  
Buffy watched as the group started to gather their things, and head off in to their own lives. Buffy noticed one girl in particular. She was slightly tall, with blond hair and brown roots, wearing a long flowing skirt and a peasant blouse. It was the girl who had tried to defend Willow's 'Wacky Notion Of Spells'. She had a sweet face, and a shy demeanor. Buffy hadn't really gotten a good look at her, as the girl had been sitting on the floor. Suddenly, as the girl packed up her stuff, her eyes met Buffy's . . . she didn't look away.  
  
"Hi . . ." Buffy mouthed to her, a slightly flirtatious smile in place. The girl blushed, and turned away, packing up her things again. {Wow, Buffy. You sure have an eye for the Gay ones!} She commended her self. {How do you know she's gay?} Questioned her other voice. {Because!} she said smugly, as she watched the girl glance back at her again, {If I had done that and she had been straight, she wouldn't have blushed and turned away . . .} The other voice just huffed at that. {Plus!} she continued, {Any straight girl would have sneered, and just walked away!}.  
  
"Hey Buffy!" Willow called, walking over. Buffy hugged her in welcome, and watched as the sweet blonde passed them on her way out.  
  
"Hey Will?" Buffy asked quietly, "Do you know that girl?" Buffy asked, pointing towards the blond. Willow frowned. {How did Buffy know Tara?} the witch wondered.  
  
"No," Willow lied as they started walking back to the dorms, "Why?"  
  
"I just saw her defending you. I thought maybe she was your new Wicca Study-Buddy." Buffy smiled and linked arms with her Copper-Topped companion. She knew Willow had insecurities, and she wasn't about to tell her future Girl-Friend that she'd been checking out another girl.  
  
"No." Willow replied sadly, "I don't so."  
  
"What' the matter? No real Witches in your Witch group?" Buffy asked knowingly.  
  
"Not One!" the Witch huffed. "Seems these days everyone with a Henna tattoo and a spice rack thinks they're a sister to The Dark Ones . . . Stupid Wanna-Blessed-Bes!" she grumbled.  
  
"Giles said that he was going to look into the dream I had and call us when he figures it out-"  
  
"What?!" Willow interrupted. Buffy looked a little shocked, and confused. "Why would he call us about a dream you had while napping is Psych?" Willow asked, still a bit sore over the fact that she'd been dreaming about Riley.  
  
"I thought I told you . . ." Buffy said slowly, "I had a Slayer dream in class." Willow shook her head no. "Well I did. So I told Giles about it and he's going to try and work the kinks out of it . . ." she said heaving a sigh. "I didn't tell him all of it, as I'm pretty sure it didn't start out a Slayer Dream. I just told him the Evil-Killy-Thing parts. He wouldn't want to hear the rest anyways."  
  
"What did you dream about?" Willow asked, trying to sound off hand, and not doing a very good job of it. Buffy smiled, knowing Willow was jealous of what she'd overheard earlier.  
  
"Oh, you know, this and that." Buffy said as they walked into the dorm. "Slayer dreams are all the same. Apocalypse, death, destruction, mayhem . . . they never change." Willow looked at her hopefully.  
  
"What about, you know, the Non-Slayer part of it . . ?" Buffy smiled at her, and sat down on the Witch's bed next to her.  
  
"You REALLY want to know?" she whispered. Willow silently gulped, but nodded. Buffy smiled, so it couldn't be that bad. {Buffy's not THAT cruel, is she?}  
  
"Okay. It was sort of Ironic that I fell asleep during Walsh's lecture, only to dream about another one. She was going on and on about communication, and how that's different then talking . . ." and Buffy told Willow the whole dream, start to finish, poem and all. Buffy couldn't help smiling when she saw the Blushing grin that broke across her best- friend's face went she told her about the kiss. Though she didn't like the part where Buffy turned around, expecting to see her and finding a 'Gentleman' in her place.  
  
"Wow, Buff. That's one crazy dream. Did you tell Giles about the whole . . ." Willow pointed between them, referring to the kiss their dream self's shared. Buffy shook her head no, and pushed a strand of Copper behind a pail ear. Both smiled, and picked up their things. {It's been long enough . . .} Buffy though, {I want to kiss her NOW!} she though in a whining tone.  
  
Just then the phone rang, making them both jump. The Slayer reached over and picked it up. It was Xander, asking Buffy to Baby-sit Spike for the night so he and Anya could have a romantic evening. Buffy's response was "UGH!" as she hung-up the phone, disgustedly. "There is NO WAY I'm watching that THING tonight!" Willow laughed. "What's so funny?"  
  
"UGH!" Willow tried to repeat the sound, "It was funny! Made you sound like some kind of Cave- . . ." Willow trailed off, realizing the road they were heading down. Buffy sneered.  
  
"Well at least one of us enjoyed my de-evolution!" Buffy couldn't hold back a smile. Willow played along.  
  
"If I remember correctly, I wasn't the only one!" she poked the Slayer on the tummy, making her squeal and jump. Buffy's eyes bugged slightly.  
  
"Willow! That had to be the cheekiest comment I've ever heard come out of your mouth . . ." she paused as though in though, "No, wait! I remember a better one. That comment about Cordelia, remember? 1-800-I'm-Dating-A- Skanky-Ho!" both girls burst into laughter, Willow blushing profusely.  
  
.  
  
(Author's Note: there you go, Tara/Buffy tention! The next part starts with silence, and please note that there will parts that are skipped, and others that will be rewriten with Buffy/Willow sub-text [or flat out text!]) 


	13. So Silently Spoken

= = = (*At A Loss For Words*) = = =  
  
Willow awoke slowly the next morning, glad that Buffy had stayed the night in the dorm. She was looking forward to having Psych class with her again; the last time had gone so well. She rose out of bed, just as Buffy walked in the door. Buffy whispered 'Good Morning' so quietly Willow didn't even hear it.  
  
The Slayer cleared her throat and did it again. Willow tried to say it too, but no sound came out! She hopped out of bed and ran over to her best friend. 'I've Gone Deaf!' she tried to scream, pointing at her ears. Buffy shook her head, 'I think we've lost our voices', she mouthed. Willow nodded, but looked terrified. Buffy hugged her best friend tightly, wanting to show her things would be okay. The Witch held her tightly, but they broke apart as the phone rang.  
  
'Hello?' she asked silently. She realized how dumb it was to answer a phone when she couldn't speak, not to mention the fact that the person on the other line was speechless too. She put the phone down, and turned back to her distraught friend. She gave her a short hug, and tugged on her shirt, pointing at the Redhead's droors. Willow nodded in understanding. They quickly changed, and slowly made their way to Giles' apartment.  
  
Along the way they passed a Bank with a sign that said "CLOSED", but a Liquor store reading "WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS". It was odd to see that a bank couldn't function in a time like this but a small shop could. They passed the espresso-pump, near which was a man sitting on the curb with his knees pulled to his chest and a brief-case sitting beside him. Willow reached for Buffy's hand, seeking comfort. The Slayer accepted it willingly, and gave her a small squeeze that seem to say 'Don't worry Willow, I'll fix this'. Willow worried that she might have been reading too much into it, but the look in Buffy's eye said the same thing her heart was telling her.  
  
They passed a flock of religious people all standing in a group and reading from bibles together. Willow raised her eyebrows at Buffy. They walked along some more, until they saw a man selling message boards and pens for $10 each. They both seemed to have the same idea 'Yeah, Right!', but they both ended up buying one. They hurried the rest of the way back to Giles' house.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (*Country Music That Sings From The Heart*) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy and Willow were in their room, working. Buffy was changing and getting ready to go out slaying (as Giles had asked her to with that incredibly terrible depiction of her), and Willow was trying to do some of her Nuclear Chemistry homework. They had both been rather bothered by the eerie silence that was floating through the room, and the rustling of clothes and the scratching of pens had become a bit annoying. So, they had turned on an out-of-Sunnydale radio station to cove it up. It was one of those radio stations that didn't have a genre; they just played whatever people wanted to hear. Just as Buffy had finished loading her crossbow the last cords of a Fiona Apple song played out, and the announcer started speaking.  
  
"And that was Fiona Apple with a song of her last album, as was requested by Donna with a message saying 'For all the good times, Jake'. Our next song is by Tim McGraw, and its been dedicated to Steve by Sandy. Here's 'More Then A Lover', coming at ya from the all request live at five!"  
  
Buffy's ears perked up at the first chords of the song. She recognized its tune from a long time ago. When she ran away to LA she'd worked in a small dingy little diner that loved to play country music. The Mangier was a huge Tim McGraw fan. From the moment she heard it, it made her smile, and all thoughts turned to Willow.  
  
Buffy walked over to where the Witch had been sitting at her desk, and tapped her on the shoulder. Willow turned around just as the first lines of the song started to play.  
  
[I've never had no one,  
  
that I can count on,  
  
I've been let down so many times . . .]  
  
Buffy took her hand, and led Willow to the small open space between the beds. She wrapped her arms around the Witch's middle, and Willow (looking slightly confused), wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist.  
  
[And I was tired of hurting,  
  
So tired of searching,  
  
'Till you walked into my life]  
  
Buffy rested her head on Willow's shoulder, afraid of how the other girl would react to this. Willow just kept slowly swaying to the music.  
  
[It was a feeling  
  
I'd never known  
  
And for the first time, I didn't alone.]  
  
The redhead smiled, glad to see that Buffy wanted to dance with her. She'd never been a very good dancer, but being asked by Buffy like this made her feel like she could do anything!  
  
[You're more then a lover,  
  
there could never be another,  
  
to make me feel the way you do!  
  
And Oh! We just get closer,  
  
I fall in love all over,  
  
Every time I look at you!  
  
I don't know where I'd be,  
  
Without you here with me,  
  
Life with you makes perfect sense . . .  
  
You're my Best Friend.]  
  
Willow's eye teared up at that last line. This song obviously had a meaning to Buffy. She just thought that she'd wanted to dance with her. Now she realized that the Slayer knew the song, that it meant something to her. She hugged the blonde just a little tighter.  
  
[You stand by me,  
  
You believe in me,  
  
Like nobody ever has!  
  
When my world goes crazy,  
  
You're right there to save me,  
  
You make me see how much I have!  
  
And I still tremble when we touch,  
  
I know the look in your eyes,  
  
When we make love!]  
  
Both girls blushed at this, but kept dancing, holding the other tightly.  
  
[You're more then a lover,  
  
there could never be another,  
  
to make me feel the way you do!  
  
And Oh! We just get closer,  
  
I fall in love all over,  
  
Every time I look at you!  
  
I don't know where I'd be,  
  
Without you here with me,  
  
Life with you makes perfect sense . . .  
  
You're my Best Friend.]  
  
The slowly danced, thinking of how much they wanted to song to keep going, for this feeling to never end. They just wanted it to last forever, and not have reality come crashing down around them. They knew the song was slowly coming to an end . . .  
  
[You're more then a lover,  
  
there could never be another,  
  
to make me feel the way you do!  
  
And Oh! We just get closer,  
  
I fall in love all over,  
  
Every time I look at you!  
  
I don't know where I'd be,  
  
Without you here with me,  
  
Life with you makes perfect sense . . .  
  
You're my Best Friend.  
  
Oooooooh! You're my best friend . . .  
  
Oh yeah! Oooooooooh!  
  
You're my best friend . . . .]  
  
The song slowly wound down, the last of the lyrics ringing in their ear like church bells tolling their last notes. They broke apart, Their internal thoughts a mix of fear and joy, of sadness and laughter, and neither knowing what to do next. Buffy put her hands on Willow's shoulders again, this time looking serious.  
  
'I have to go patrol, will you be okay here?' she mouthed. Willow nodded, still slightly shaken by their dance, and the words of the song. 'Lock the door, you'll be safe here.' Buffy tenderly kissed Willow's cheek. Willow was sure that if it had been on her lips she would have fainted. She didn't think she could take much more of this. Buffy grabbed her crossbow and turned to leave.  
  
'Buffy!' Willow called silently, yet Buffy seemed to hear as she turned around. Willow had tears running down her cheeks, cursing her self for her apprehension. She opened her mouth to tell Buffy that she Loved Her, but no words came out. The Slayer seemed to understand though. She walked back over to Willow, and held her tightly. With a delicate hand on the back of the witch's neck, Buffy rested her forehead against hers. She looked Willow in the eye, as if to see past her, through her mind, through her soul and straight into her heart.  
  
'I know . . .' Buffy mouthed. She kissed Willow on the forehead, and walked out the door. As the thin barrier of wood closed behind her, Willow sobbed silently. She rested her head against the back of the door, worried about the Slayer, and worried about herself too. Knowing the Buffy would be really mad, Willow opened the door, planning to fallow the Slayer on her patrol. She had a bad feeling about tonight . . . .  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (*The Eyes UnSeen*)~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow crept along the streets quietly. Buffy was out on patrol, a per Giles' orders, and had asked Willow stay back in the dorms where it was safe. She wasn't going to just sit back while Buffy could be killed in a horrible and uncaring way where no one could hear her scream . . . so she'd fallowed Buffy (as best she could), to where they were now. They were in some part of Sunnydale, though it was the area that Willow didn't know so well.  
  
She watched from her hiding place in an ally as two men who had been fighting where trying to resort to violence. Then, out of nowhere, Riley shows up and disperses them. {That's not fair! He's doing Buffy's job! Who said he could do that?}. They she watched as one of the men picked up a pipe, preparing to hit the other man. Buffy grabbed his wrist and twisted it back. He dropped the pipe and let out an inaudible yell as a loud popping sound came from his wrist. Buffy walked towards Riley.  
  
{Uh Oh . . . Not of the good!} Willow thought. {What are they doing here? Did they plan to meet here? Is this why Buffy wanted me to stay home?} She watched as they started talking, mouthing things to each other. Willow couldn't quite see what it was. It seemed friendly to Willow, and she was worried about how much friendlier it was going to get. Buffy had just started to walk away when Riley grabbed her, forcing her to turn around. Willow, afraid that Riley was going to hurt her, stepped out of her hiding place, ready to save Buffy from the clutches of the Evil TA.  
  
But to her dismay, Riley had no intentions of hurting her. He pulled her to him in a passionate Kiss. Willow felt numb, like all the air had been sucked out of the room. She couldn't breath, and all she could feel was tears rolling down her cheeks. She watched in horror as Buffy started sliding her arms up his chest, towards his neck. Willow choked back a silent sob, and ran back to the dorms. She ran and ran and ran until she had nothing left. She collapsed on the lawn outside Stevenson Hall, tears blurring her vision.  
  
{Oh Goddess, Buffy . . . . . WHY?}  
  
  
  
As soon as Buffy felt Riley grab her and turn her around she knew exactly what was going to happen. She had seen it in his eyes when they had been mouthing things to each other. She had led him on, and she was sorry. But right now, all she needed to do was get out of there. She tried to push him off her, but he wouldn't budge. She pushed a bit harder, hoping he'd get the message, but still no movement. She slid her hands up his chest so her forearms were against his collar-cones, and cheated a bit by using a bit of slayer strength. He backed off, and she glared. If looks could kill his brain would have melted out of his ears.  
  
'What?' he mouthed, his usual blank stair in place.  
  
'I'm with someone!' she mouthed angrily. He still looked confused.  
  
'Who?' he asked, with a look that seemed to say to embody the essence of 'HUH?'. She threw her arms up, and walked off in a huff. {What is it with guys! They think they can just run around kissing who ever they want?? No to mention the fact that his kisses are lousy . . . !} she slowly made her way back out on patrol, not looking foreword to getting her voice back anymore {Now I have A LOT of explaining to do with Riley.} she thought, not exactly eager to see that boy again.  
  
{Author's Note: So how do you like it? I know that I left it at a rough spot, but I had to! 'Why?' you ask? Because the next installment has a HIGHER RATING! I need to give out the warning so anyone who's reading will know to search for a story with an R rating. Please note that the next chapter will contain:  
  
Willow/Tara confusion, Buffy/Tara flirting, AND . . . . !  
  
A WILLOW/BUFFY LOVE MAKING SCENE! Whoo-Hoo, Smut with a plot! Just Kidding, it won't be smut . . . but it also won't be written by me. NO, I can't write good love scenes, so I'm leaving it in the IMMENSELY TRUSTWORTHY hands of the amazing and wonderful Danielle (hugs and kisses sweety!), and hope that 'yall don't mind too much. I'll be writing the story around it, just not the actual . . . Love Making, okay? Drop me a line, tell me what you think! { VixenRaign@yahoo.com } I will respond if you leave me a letter! Thanx. BYE! VNX} 


	14. ALL THE THINGS

[WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED 'R' FOR ADULT CONTENT! DO NOT READ IF SUCH MATERIAL BOTHERS YOU. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! (please note as well, this is a F/F pairing!)]  
  
ALL THE THINGS  
  
= = = (*Left Unsaid*) = = =  
  
Tara looked down at her hand, intertwined with Willows. They seemed to fit together nicely. She enjoyed the feeling of warmth it gave her. She hadn't held a girl's hand (or anyone's for that matter) in a long while. She realized how much she missed it. Slowly, Tara lifted her eyes to Willow's. The redhead looked confused, yet excited. Tara knew exactly why.  
  
Willow felt strange. She had tried to move the vending machine with all the power of her mind, and yet all she could get it to do was wobble. True, both she and Tara couldn't even get it to do that with their physical strength, but . . . it was weird! It was like: one minute she was concentrating as hard as she could on moving the massive appliance, then next, it was moved. She remembered taking Tara's hand, and then . . . {Wow, is all that can be said!} Willow thought. It'd been amazing! And incredibly intimate. It was like Tara had reached inside her and pulled out this hidden piece of her spirit. Willow pulled her hand away. Blushing slightly.  
  
"Wow . . ." Tara muttered. Willow nodded, but quickly turned to face her, eyes bugged. Tara looked scared, but then realized. "I-I-I Spoke!" she said. Willow nodded again. They hadn't realized how much time had passed. Both girls felt kind of wonky, their head slightly swimmy, and overly relaxed. Suddenly both heads turned towards the door as they heard feet hammering down the stairs towards their hiding place in the laundry room.  
  
"Scream!" Willow told Tara.  
  
"W-What?" Tara asked quickly.  
  
"Don't ask, just scream!" and with that Willow started yelling at the top of her lungs, Tara joining in, looking slightly confused as to what was going on. The loud stomping down the stairs didn't stop, and soon there was a pounding on the door! Willow screamed louder, and higher, waving her hand to indicate that Tara should too. She did, but stopped once the door started to cave. They heard the wood snap and splinter, but they couldn't see past the Vend. Willow just yelled higher until suddenly the machine toppled over and skidded across the room.  
  
Buffy stood there, framed in the door. She was standing in a fighting stance, looking between Willow and Tara. Willow had stopped screaming now. She dropped the offensive attitude and ran to the redhead. In one quick move she pulled her best-friend up, and into a tight hug. Willow embraced her back tightly.  
  
"Willow I was so worried!" she said, not letting go. "I was fighting the gentlemen with Riley, and I screamed, and all their head blew up and . . . I can't explain it! It was like I was being drawn to you! Like I was a compos, and you were due north . . . I don't know how I found you but . . ." she let go, and looked at the Witch critically, looking for injuries. "Thank god you're okay. I heard you screaming . . ." she said looking between Willow and the other girl. She did a double take. {Isn't that the blonde from the Wicca group? Why are my Slayer Senses telling me something's off here?}.  
  
"Oh! Buffy, This is Tara, from my Witch group. Tara, this is my room- mate Buffy." Buffy held out her hand, and the Witch shook it gently. Buffy gave her a small smile, enjoying the soft touch of the blonde' slim fingers. "She saved my life Buffy, she helped me move the Vending machine- " And before Willow could even finish, Buffy was hugging Tara. Tara looked kind of surprised, and Willow looked slightly shocked.  
  
"Thank you so much!" Buffy said as she pulled away, "You have no idea how much this means to me! Willow's my best-friend, she means the world to me, ask for it and it's yours!" Buffy took Willow's hand in her own, and gave Tara a look to say she was dead serious.  
  
Tara didn't know what to say. She had been thinking about both these girls all day and then some. She had been contemplating doing spells with Willow to get people's voices back, and she'd been thinking about the Slayer in a more intimate sense {after all, not many women flirt with me!}. She had no idea that doing spells with the pretty redhead would feel that amazing, or that Buffy would be offering her a reward for saving her best friend's life.  
  
"I-I-I don't know w-what to say . . ." Tara stuttered, blushing at her nervousness and her speech impediment. "I-I-It was nothing, r-really." She looked up to see a nervous Slayer, who leaned over towards Willow and asked.  
  
"Am I really that intimidating?" She looked worried, and almost sad. Willow frowned, then realized what her friend was talking about.  
  
"N-No, B-B-Buffy this hap-happens a lot." Tara nodded, comfortingly. Buffy smiled slightly at that. It slowly crept up the corners of her mouth, into a flirtatious grin. Tara's face changed from comforting to questioning.  
  
"In that case it's kinda cute . . ." Tara blushed, and let her long hair fall in her face. Looking down at her shoes, she suddenly saw another pair standing right by hers. Then she saw two small hands push the hair back behind her ears. She looked up into Buffy's smiling face. "Let me buy you something?" she asked. Tara didn't know what she was talking about. "For saving my Willow, how about that?" Tara watched as the Slayer dug around in her pockets, pulling out a pen. She then took Tara's hand and wrote down their dorm's phone-number.  
  
"Buffy?" Buffy turned around to see Willow's slightly hurt face. She knew that the redhead was hurting a lot more, but was simply holding it in so Tara wouldn't see. Buffy flashed her a winning smile and wrote '10am' next to their phone number. She gently blew air onto Tara's hand, seemingly to dry the ink. But the look Tara saw on Buffy face was a lot more suggestive. Tara shuddered, and the Slayer noticed.  
  
"There!" Buffy said, capping the pen, and placing it back in her pocket, "That's our dorm number. I want you to call us tomorrow morning, at 10am. I'm going to take you out to breakfast, and I want to hear the whole story of how you saved my Wills. Okay?"  
  
"A-Are you s-sure?" Tara asked. Buffy nodded.  
  
"Yeah, even after near-death experiences you'll be up by 10. Trust me, you body will kick into 'Living Life To The Fullest' mode, and have you up at the crack of dawn . . ." Buffy smirked, knowing that wasn't what Tara meant. Tara smiled, glad that she finally met someone who would joke with her. She nodded, and walked back over to Willow. Tara watched as the Slayer took amazingly expert care of her friend. Looking her over again and again. She asked her if she was alright, and Willow nodded. She senses there was something more going on there, but couldn't put her finger on it.  
  
"You'll call us, right? Not gonna stand up a free breakfast with a beautiful woman are you, 'cause I know Willow's dying to see you again . . . ?" She watched as Willow playfully swatted Buffy's arm. She laughed, and continued. "I don't get a call from you by 10, I'm gonna come and look for you okay? So call. This way I don't have to bust down you're dorm- room-door!" Buffy smiled, and grabbed Willow, who screamed, as she was tossed over the Slayer's shoulder. Buffy waved goodbye as she settled the Witch into a Piggy-Back position. Tara watched as the both trotted happily up the stairs to their room, laughing and smiling.  
  
= = = (*I Should Have Told You*) = = =  
  
Buffy shoved the door open, and dropped a happy and laughing Willow on to her bed. Buffy turned to take off her jacket, but quickly looked at the Witch when she heard a sharp intake of breath. She saw the redhead wince and grab her ankle. Buffy rushed over and told Willow to lie down. Willow did as she was told, and watched as Buffy took out her Post-Slayage First-Aid-Kit. This had all the things she'd need after a more rigorous night of slaying. It even had a special needle and thread so she could give herself stitches.  
  
Willow watched as Buffy took out an instant ice-pack, and an Ace Bandage. Very slowly and carefully, Buffy pulled up the cuff of Willow's jeans. She then undid the laces, and took off the redhead's shoes.  
  
"Yup, this is a pretty bad sprain . . ." Buffy said, popping the internal bag for the Ice-Pack, and placing the now cold plastic on her friend's leg. She took it off after a few minutes, and looked at it again. "You should be fine by tomorrow. The swelling is pretty bad, but that's probably just because you tried to walk on it. You can just lean on me tomorrow." Buffy looked up smiling. Willow smiled slightly, but remember that she'd smiled at Tara that way too.  
  
"You sure you won't be leaning on Tara?" Willow said in a small voice. She would have said it louder, if the thought didn't depress her so much. She wanted to be mad, she wanted to be upset, but she knew . . . she knew she never had the Slayer's heart in the first place. {First I saw the way she was with Riley, then in the hall; the way she fallowed Tara with her eyes . . . I should have known that I'd never get to be with her. And besides, even if I was with her, I don't think I'd be enough} Willow grumbled to herself. She looked up to see a smiling Slayer.  
  
"Made you jealous?" she ask, her voice low. Willow looked down and nodded. She felt Buffy start taking off her other shoe, but didn't look up.  
  
"So it's true?" Willow asked quietly, fighting back her tears with all her remaining strength, "You were flirting with her?" her voice quavered slightly at the last words. A single tear slipped down her cheek, and she cursed herself for her weakness. She felt Buffy start to take off her socks too, but didn't want to Slayer to see her cry.  
  
"Yes, but you want to know why?" Buffy answered, her voice calm and soft. Willow nodded, and felt Buffy slide up her body smoothly. Here eyes bugged as she saw Buffy smiling down from above her. Willow let out a low groan that she didn't realized she'd been holding in. "It was incase you wouldn't have me . . ." Buffy said, he face was brave, but Willow saw just how scared she was in her eyes.  
  
"Just in case, you changed you mind, so I might have something to look forward to for tomorrow . . ." Buffy sighed, and leaned closer until their noses were only a centimeter apart. "Because I don't know how I could go on without you Will. I wake-up every day to see you smile. I go to Psych to be with you, and hold your hand while I sleep. I may fight the good fight that you want in on, but I go out there every time . . . for you. To make the world safe, FOR YOU. A better place for YOU to live, and be happy, and free, and maybe even one day grow old in." Willow was speechless. How many times had she dreamed about this. Buffy telling her she loved her, and wanted to be with her, and telling Willow how much she meant to the Slayer. But no dreams can ever live up to reality.  
  
"I love you Buffy, don't ever doubt that." Willow whispered, the tears in her eye now ones of joy. The Slayer gently kissed them away as the rolled down her cheek. Buffy leaned her forehead against Willows, and closed her eyes. As she opened them, her penetrating stair returned. Once again her eyes seemed to look past her mind, past her soul and deeply into her heart. She seemed to like what she saw there, as she smiled.  
  
"I love you too Willow. Don't ever leave me." With that she leaned in and captured Willow's lips softly between her own. They met with a rush of feeling and warmth. It felt like coming home, like she'd spent her life wondering, and Willow had just found where she truly belonged. The Witch's eyes drifted shut the second her lips connected with the Slayers.  
  
Buffy was having trouble breathing. She'd never felt so incredible with anyone else. She never though anything would ever feel as good as Angel did, but this was . . . perfect. She drew a shuddering breath as she kissed this beautiful woman she loved. Buffy's hand slipped down the witch's face, cupping her jaw by the ear, encouraging Willow to linger unlike their other shared kisses. The Slayer was savoring ever moment.  
  
Willow reached up to wrap her arms around Buffy' neck. She pulled the blonde closer, wanting to feel more of this amazing heady sensation she got from kissing Buffy. As the angle of the kiss changed, Willow really started to taste the lips connected with her own. That sweet vanilla and strawberry flavor seeping into her mouth through the gentle ministrations of the Slayer's silken lips.  
  
Buffy let herself fall into the kiss. She tried to remember what it was to be kissed with such tenderness. With such loving admiration and Aw. Something about kissing Willow felt so right and familiar, yet at the same time new and exciting. She lost herself in her friend's touch, Mind body and soul submitting to an eternity with this one amazing person. As the play between mouths increased, Buffy started to tenderly suck on Willow's lower lip.  
  
Willow let out a small moan, totally taken aback by Buffy's sensually playful nature. She just laid back and relaxed as Buffy took the kiss further. Willow felt somewhat overwhelmed with everything that was happening tonight. Not being able to talk all day, seeing Buffy with Riley, being chased by the gentlemen, watching Buffy flirt with Tara . . . and yet with every touch from Buffy, she knew more and more that everything was going to be fine. Buffy slowly pulled back  
  
"Are you alright with this?" Buffy asked, breathing warm words across their faces. Willow nodded, taking in as much oxygen as she could. Buffy looked worried, as she was unaware that it was her kisses that had left her friend so out of breath.  
  
"I haven't been this alright in a long time." She smiled, and pulled the blonde closer to her, their lips once again a hair's breath apart.  
  
"Me too." Buffy breathed, and once again captured the redheads lips with her own. Buffy ran her free hand down to Willow's side, cupping their hip so as to bring them even closer together. Buffy moaned into the kiss, which slowly turned into a slight growl. Buffy pushed the kiss just that little bit further, running the tip of her tongue along the generous curve of the Wicca's luscious lower lip.  
  
Willow thought she was about to faint. The soft touches of Buffy's hand on her hip, the way she was gently sucking on her lower lip, and now she was asking to kiss her even further. As soon as she felt the blonde run her tongue along the inside of her lip, she moaned into the Slayer's mouth. She felt Buffy smile slightly as she gained the access to the mouth she so desperately enjoyed. Buffy gently slid her tongue into the redhead's mouth, surprised when Willow's met her. They ran together smoothly, neither fighting for dominance but simply enjoying the feel of each other.  
  
Willow felt Buffy start to slide her hand up the bottom of her shirt. The feeling of the slayers small fingers running along her stomach made her quiver in anticipation. He back arched slightly as it climbed even higher. She felt Buffy cup a hand over her breast, and felt the nipple harden underneath. Willow would have gasped, but her mouth was slightly preoccupied. Buffy continued her gentle caresses of both her breast and tongue, as she climbed more fully on top of Willow. Suddenly, Buffy pulled away, and sat back on her calves. Willow was worried until she saw the small smile on the Slayer's face.  
  
Buffy reached for the hem of her shirt, and pulled it off. Once the fabric had cleared her face, she saw the shocked yet glazed look in her new girl-friend's eyes. She slowly lowered herself back down, and returned to pleasing her. She reached down, and tugged at Willow's shirt, indicating that she wanted it gone. She watched as Willow pulled back from the kiss. For a second she was worried that Willow might refuse her, and send her away, but the look in her eye told Buffy that she was just being shy. Buffy smiled, and started kissing Willow's neck, trying to get her to relax. It worked, and soon Willow was tugging off her shirt.  
  
Willow blushed as her head popped out of it's collar. She was expecting to find a disapproving look in Buffy's face, but instead only saw lust. {Lust?} Willow thought,{Am I sure she's looking at me 'cause . . .} But before Willow could finish that thought Buffy leaned down, and started kissing the tops of Willow's breasts. Her back arched, and she let out a loud unrestrained moan. Buffy's head shot up to look at Willow. Her face looked shocked, yet aroused, and she slowly and showfully lowered herself back down. Willow's eyes closed at the amazing sensation of Buffy kissing her like this. Absolutely nothing compared to it!  
  
As Buffy reverently kissed the expanse of alabaster skin before her, she groaned at the incredible feeling of their skin touching. It was like her whole body was on fire, and she was shivering with want. She needed to feel more of it. She slowly slid her hands down the Wicca's ribs, and onto her hips. After a few seconds there, she slid her hands between them, and grasped the fabric of the redhead's jeans. Willow pulled back suddenly.  
  
"Buffy!" Willow urgently whispered, "W-What are you doing?" Buffy looked hurt. Willow was just confused. She and Buffy had JUST confessed their love for each other. Willow wasn't sure that sleeping together so soon was such a good idea. But the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to! She had known Buffy for over 4 years now, and they were in love (no doubt about that!). She did want Buffy desperately, more then she cared for oxygen right now. They knew how they felt for each other for a few weeks now, they just hadn't done anything about it . . . "Just don't take my underwear off, okay?" Willow whispered in her little-girl voice. Buffy nodded, smiling widely.  
  
Slowly and delicately, Buffy undid the buttons on Willow's jeans. She slid her hands just inside the waist band, and at an agonizingly slow pace ran them down her girl-friend's legs. She felt Willow shiver under her touch, and grimed deeply at the effect she had on this girl. Before she came back up, she too slid off her pants. Sliding up Willow's body wearing nothing but her undergarments was the closest thing she felt to heaven. Buffy thought she was going to melt right then and there. She opened her eyes, in pure ecstasy, to see Willow's panting and slightly flushed face mere inches from her own. Leaning down she claimed her best- friends' lips with her own.  
  
As they kissed, they started to run their hands all over each other's bodies, feeling the skin running beneath their own. Buffy settled herself on top of Willow again, this time with one of her legs between the Wicca's. As their caresses became more focused and demanding, Buffy pressed her knee up into Willow.  
  
"BUFFY!" Willow half yelled, half moaned at the contact, "What . . . What are you doing?" she asked, her breathing labored.  
  
"Making Love to my Girl-Friend." Buffy said, grinning from ear to ear. Willow was so entranced by Buffy's smile and the sweet words coming out of her mouth she forgot what exactly was going on. She remembered, though, when Buffy added more direct pressure to the apex of Willow's legs. "Ahh!" she moaned, back arching violently, eyes pinched shut in pleasure. She shivered as Buffy leaned back down, their hot flushed skin once again coming into contact with each other's.  
  
She felt dizzy as Buffy stared kissing her neck, leaving loving little hickies she'd have to hide in the morning. She had never felt so incredibly overwhelmed with pleasure before. Oz had always been quick when it came to Loving, and he was never really into foreplay so this was a whole new experience for her. As Buffy found the Witch's soft-spot just below her ear-lobe she gasped, and tightly grasped Buffy's thigh with her own.  
  
Buffy's back arched, and she gave a loud moan, pulling away from Willow's neck. Willow turned to look down at her as Buffy eased her eyes open. Buffy blushed. Willow continued to hold the blonde's leg tightly between her own, and pulled Buffy closer. Buffy gave out another short moan, which she quickly tried to stifle. Willow leaned up, and captured the hardened tip of Buffy's breast through the fabric of her bra. Buffy let out a low growl, and arched her back, causing her leg to slide along Willow's center and her own to slide along Willow's leg. They groaned in unison.  
  
With the speed, strength, and agility born only to a Slayer, Buffy flipped them over so that Willow was on top. Willow looked up, no longer feeling the bed beneath her. She took a second to become accustomed to her new surroundings, then felt Buffy slide the leg between her up the bed. Now her leg was pressing deep into Willow's center, and she was close (Buffy could feel it). Willow wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck, and Buffy firmly grasped the Witch's hips in her hands. Slowly Buffy started a push and pull motion, letting Willow guide her as far as the rhythm went.  
  
Willow thought she was about to explode! She was making love with Buffy, and she was being so kind, and gentle, and tender, and sweet . . . not to mention the fact that this was the most amazing feeling she'd ever known! She knew she was close, but she didn't want to finish with out Buffy along side her. She slid her leg higher, applying a more direct pressure to the Slayer's center. She felt Buffy pull away from her soft stop to gasp "Willow!". Liking the way Buffy said that, she started to mimic Buffy's motions with her. Soon the only thing coming out of the Slayer's mouth was "Willow!", "Oh God!" or "Don't Stop!". Enjoying the sound of Buffy's feverish breathing next to her ear, and moaned exclamations, she'd only barely noticed that Buffy had sped them up. But she was starting to feel it now!  
  
"Oh Goddess Buffy! I'm close!" she whispered quietly to her. Buffy nodded, and sped up. Both girls increased pressure as they felt their internal coils of passion tightening, getting ready for their release. "Oh Gods! Oh Gods! BUFFY!" Willow screamed as she went over the edge, the feeling of Willow's internal explosion against her leg set Buffy off with a long husky "Yes! WILLOW!".  
  
Willow collapsed onto Buffy, panting as she tried to regain her breathing. She felt Buffy's chest rise and fall just as rapidly beneath her cheek. She smiled contentedly. That was everything she'd ever dreamed of and more . . . only this time it was real. Now, they really were Lovers. Willow looked up smiling at Buffy, realizing that it was true. They really were together. Buffy smiled back down at her, still breathing rapidly. She gently pulled Willow up to her, and kissed her lips softly. Willow was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling. She doubted if she ever would. She felt Buffy smile, and pull away.  
  
"You feeling sleepy?" Buffy whispered, not knowing how to feel right now. She had never felt so alive, and yet she felt like she was about to pass- out. Willow nodded, and tried to stifle a yawn. She ran her hand softly over her Lovers glowing red-hair, and smiled. She gently lay her back down on her chest. {Wow,} Buffy thought, {We did it. We really did it. She and I are together now . . . Never thought I'd see the day. I was worried we'd never get together because we'd each be too scared to make the first move. Wow . . . Willow Rosenberg is my LOVER . . .} {It does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?} came her other voice. Buffy yawned, and pulled the sheets over her self and her new Girl-Friend. {Yeah,} she answered sleepily, {It does . . .}  
  
  
  
(Author's Note: So, what did yall think? Did you like what Danny wrote? Can you guess where I stopped and she began? Can you guess where I started again? If you can I will post your name on one of my next chapters as QUEEN OF WRITING STYLE GUESSING. Note me back, to tell me what you think of this new chapter. OR! E-Mail me, and I WILL write back! Please note that the next chapter and possibly more after that will contain adult content. You have been advised. -ViXeN-) 


	15. With A New Sun

(Author's Note: Sorry! There's just been so much Crazy-Life-Stuff going on with me that I haven't updated. But when I signed on to FanFiction.Net and saw how far down the list I was, I knew something had to be done! So, here it is, chapter 15 for Of Stakes And Spells!)  
  
***WARNING: This chapter is Rated 'R' because of adult content. It contains scenes of Physical Romance between two consensual women in Love, if this bothers you: please don't continue (Go read some 'Blues Clues' FanFiction instead)!***  
  
  
  
= = = (*With A New Sun, Comes A New Day*) = = =  
  
Willow awoke slowly to the feeling of someone's body wrapped lovingly around hers. She felt gentle fingers combing through her hair, and soft kisses on her forehead. Willow smiled.  
  
"Good Morning Beautiful." Buffy whispered. Willow raised herself a little, and looked at the blonde beneath her. Buffy smiled back.  
  
"Morning Gorgeous." Willow leaned in slowly, and gently kissed the lips in front of her. They still tasted like Strawberries and Vanilla. As she pulled back, she noticed the slightly darkened circles around Buffy's eyes. Frowning slightly, Willows asked  
  
"How'd you sleep last night?" Buffy blushed, but smiled.  
  
"Like a woman in love." She cupped the Witch's cheek, and smiled. Willow kissed her softly, and replaced her smile with Resolve-Face. Buffy winced, and turned away {Busted!}  
  
"Buffy . . ." Willow started, almost warningly, "Did you sleep at all last night?" Willow was worried that she'd been the cause of the Slayer's inability to rest. Oz had pushed her away at night, sometimes saying she was too clinging in her sleep.  
  
"No." Buffy whispered, fighting the tingling she felt in her eyes.  
  
"Why not?" Willow asked, slightly softened at the water she saw collecting in her Lover's eyes. {Wow, Buffy and I are Lovers!}  
  
"I was so scared!" Buffy sobbed, lightly. Willow quickly grabbed her up in a tight embrace, kissing her cheeks, asking what had scared her so much. "You!" Buffy sobbed back, "I was so scared that I'd wake up and you'd be Evil . . ."  
  
"What do you mean, 'Evil'?"  
  
"It happens every time! I fall in love, we sleep together, I wake up alone, and the next time I see them they're acting nice and sweet . . . but then I find out they're evil!" Willow held her tighter, realizing that what she said was true. Angel, then Parker, had really left scars on this amazing woman.  
  
"Buffy, is that really why?" Willow was close to tears herself. Buffy nodded.  
  
"I thought that if I stayed up, then I could make sure you didn't leave, and then you wouldn't change . . ." Buffy whispered, sounding almost hysterical, and the Witch realized just how scared she was. "Angel knew me so well, and you saw how crazy he made my life after we'd . . . well . . . - You know! I was so worried that it would happen with you! I can't lose you Will, you mean the world to me!"  
  
"Shh, Buffy it's okay!" Willow whispered, "I'm okay, I'm right here, nothing's changed! I'm happier then I used to be, but that's all . . . I promise." Willow held her tightly, and kissed her cheeks. She wiped away Buffy's tears, and told her everything was fine.  
  
"I'm sorry I acted like this . . ." Buffy whispered, sounding so ashamed it broke Willow's heart. "I wish I didn't have all this stupid baggage." Willow took Buffy's face in her hands, and looked her in the eyes.  
  
"Buffy. Don't ever say that. It's what people get from living, and I don't like the sound of the alternative." Both smiled, and Willow continued, "Its part of what makes you who you are, I would never want to change that." She kissed her head softly, and smiled down at her.  
  
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again . . . I Love You, Willow." Buffy kissed her lips softly, and felt the witch smile.  
  
"You may have said it before, but I think it's a little different now."  
  
"I've meant it for a while, Will." Willow frowned in confusion.  
  
"Since when?" Buffy smiled slyly, and pinched the tip of her tongue between her teeth. "Buffy!" Willow warned, Buffy smiled and caved.  
  
"You remember when I told you that I hadn't lied to you in a long time?" Willow nodded. "This is what I was talking about. When Her-Evil- Wolfishness was still in Sunnydale, and it was the third night of the full moon, just before Oz and I when to go look for her . . . do you remember what I'd said, right when I left?" Willow frowned as she tried to remember. {Buffy had asked if I was going to be alright, if I needed anything before she left . . . Oh!} Willow remembered now.  
  
"You thought I meant it in a friendly way, didn't you?" Willow was still sort of wide-eyed over this revelation. "Well, now you know." Buffy kissed her lips, and held her tightly, enjoying the fact that she now had the freedom to show the Witch how much she loved her. She slowly turned them so that Willow was below her. Just as the Slayer was really getting started something came to mind . . . {Wait a second!} Buffy thought, and quickly stopped kissing Willow.  
  
"Huh?" Willow asked, very dazed.  
  
"Your turn." Buffy stated simply. Willow was still a bit too dazed to understand, which was easily visible by the look on her face. "You have to explain your little cryptic thingy!" Willow now looked even more confused. "Remember?! The thing about Xander?!" Willow shook her head, clearing it of distraction, as she realized what Buffy was talking about.  
  
"Uh, Buffy? I'm not so sure I can tell you that just yet . . ." Willow said trying to worm her way out of having to explain all of this. Buffy was having nothing of it. She put on her version of Resolve-Face, aptly titled Slayer-Intimidation-Face. "Buffy-"  
  
"Will!" Buffy said, showing she wasn't going to budge.  
  
"Buffy, this isn't that easy! This is some scary stuff that I don't think you're ready to hear . . . I just don't want to put too much pressure on you, or freak you out. Buffy, I don't think you're ready to hear this yet . . ." Willow finished with a frown, hoping Buffy would understand. She looked slightly hurt, and a bit nervous, but she nodded just the same.  
  
"Okay, Will." She kissed Willow again, and ran her fingers through the beautiful red locks. "You're gonna tell me at some point right?" Willow smiled, eyes still closed, and nodded. Buffy kissed her nose, her cheeks, the corner of her mouth, and inward. Within a few seconds, Willow was gasping for breath, and her heart was racing. Buffy was gently sucking on her lower lip, lavishing in the taste.  
  
"Buffy!" the Witch whispered, voice low and throaty. Buffy laughed huskily, and kept kissing her, moving down to nibble on her neck. {God Willow, I've wanted to do this for weeks!} Buffy thought, remembering their little tickle-fest. She lightly sucked on her pulse-point, and nibbled her earlobe, causing Willow to gasp. Buffy felt hands on her hips pulling her closer, demanding contact. She smiled into the kiss, and ran her tongue along the Witch's lip. She got a nice deep moan in response, punctuated with a jump in Willow's hips.  
  
"Mmm, Willow, you feel so good . . ." she ran her hands down Willow's sides, coming to rest on low on her lover's hips. Willow wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck, and groaned. Buffy laughed, and kissed her collar-bone with renewed vigor. The Witch's back arched, and she wrapped a leg around Buffy's. Buffy was so shocked by this she stopped her gentle ministrations.  
  
"What's wrong?" Willow asked, opening her eyes. Seeing her leg draped over Buffy seemed to jolt her out of her heated trace. She blushed, and tried to pull it back. Before she could, Buffy dove into an impassioned kiss, and place a hand over her thigh, stopping all movement. Her tongue quickly ran over the Witch's lip, entering the warm mouth she loved so much, glad when it was met by Willow's. Her hand ran over the soft skin of the Witch's leg, and over her butt. Buffy groaned at the contact, and kissed the redhead deeply.  
  
Willow pulled the blonde closer with her leg, and felt Buffy run her hand over the underside of her thigh. The Witch shivered violently, and her back ached right off the bed. Buffy raised her leg so that once again it was pressed into Willow's center. Willow gave and impassioned cry, and Buffy kissed her almost fiercely. Suddenly, they stopped. Both turned to face the night stand as they heard the familiar sound of the phone ringing.  
  
"You've GOT to be KIDDING!" Buffy groaned, burring her face in Willow's shoulder. Willow kissed her forehead, and moved her leg so that the Slayer could answer the phone. "I don't care if it's the apocalypse, there is *no* reason for anyone to call us RIGHT NOW!" Buffy quickly grabbed the phone, and clicked the talk button.  
  
"Hello?" the anger in her voice obvious. But a second later, it was gone. She was smiling, and laughed. "Hi Tara, It's me." Willow giggled, and pulled the covers over herself, leaning close so she could listen in.  
  
"I j-just thought I'd call at 9:45 incase my clock was off and you w-were planning bust my door down at 10:01." Buffy laughed, and glanced at Willow smiling.  
  
"Good plan. But you would have been lucky, Will and I are still in bed . . ." she brushed some hair off Willow's forehead and back behind her ear. It was obvious that she was still 99% focused on her lover . . .  
  
"Oh! I-I-I'm sorry! Did I w-wake you?" she sounded really worried.  
  
"No, we've been up for a while, we just hadn't really gotten out of bed, ya know?" Willow blushed, and buried her face in the crook of Buffy shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, last night m-must have t-taken a lot out of you." Willow had to cover her mouth to keep from giggling. Buffy nudged her lightly, and continued.  
  
"It did." Buffy said smiling at Willow, "I hope this isn't a call to cancel our breakfast plans? I'm dying to hear the hero's side of the story . . ."  
  
"It's nothing special . . ." Buffy could practically hear Tara's blush over the phone. It made her smile.  
  
"Nothing special! I bet it'll be the next Odyssey! People will tell it to their children for generations and generations. Besides, the Modest- Hero's-Tale is always the lease exaggerated, and therefore the most accurate! You seem to fit that description . . ." she could tell that Tara was blushing again. She felt Willow kick her gently, and realized she had to get off the phone. "Why don't we meet down in the student's center at 10:15, in half an hour, that way the two of us don't show up in our pajamas?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm not quite ready to go either . . ." Willow could tell this was a lie. She'd bet all the books in Giles' library that Tara had been ready for 20 minuets and only called because she was so excited (or wanted to make sure that Buffy hadn't died on the way back to their room).  
  
"Okay then! See you there!"  
  
"B-Bye!" Buffy hung up the phone and snuggled back under the sheets. Her hands quickly found Willow's hips, and pulled her close. She was surprised when she felt her friend pull away.  
  
"What's wrong, Baby?" Buffy asked, worried. Willow's head snapped back to look at her, though her face wasn't harsh as the Slayer had expected. It was smiling.  
  
"You just called me baby . . ." Willow whispered. Buffy hadn't even realized she had done it. It had just slipped out. {And why not?} the Slayer's other voice said, {It's perfect for her, isn't it?} Buffy nodded, reaching out her arms, asking to hold her. Willow caved, and nestled up to her blonde beauty. "Can I call you sweety?" she asked in her little- girl voice.  
  
"Only if I can call you that . . ." Buffy said, kissing her girlfriend's forehead. Willow nodded, and pulled back the sheets, taking one with her as she got out of bed. "What's wrong?" Willow turned back to the Slayer, confusion written on her face.  
  
"We have to get ready. You told Tara we'd be meeting her in half an hour." Willow opened her closet, and searched for her bathrobe. Finding it she dropped the sheet, resulting in a growl from Buffy. Willow quickly slipped it on, her face as red as her hair, and reached under it to take off her undergarments.  
  
"Mmm, now come back to bed Just Like That!" Buffy told her playfully. Willow balled up her sheet and tossed it at the Slayer. "What?! You can't blame me for enjoying the lovely morning view . . ." Willow just shook her head, and went to her desk, gathering her shower stuff. As she finished packing up her carrying case, Willow felt familiar arms wrap around her middle, and a Buffy's voice whisper in her ear.  
  
"You are so beautiful Will." Buffy sighed, kissing her shoulder, "I love you so much . . ." Willow reached up, and wrapped her arms around Buffy's neck. Buffy pulled the redhead even closer to her, and began to suck on the Witch's pulse point. Slowly and gently, Buffy slipped a hand into her girlfriend's robes, softly tickling her stomach with her fingertips. Willow moaned, and Buffy moved her hand lower. Buffy froze. Willow had stopped her with a hand on her wrist, looking up at her apologetically.  
  
"Buffy," Willow said quietly, "I can't. Not yet, okay? We will, and soon - I really want to - but I just can't yet. Okay?" Buffy nodded. She didn't quite understand the terms she had just agreed to, but she never wanted to pressure Willow. She smiled, and pulled her hand out of the robe, hugging her tightly. "Come on, Slayer, we have to get you ready for your date with Tara!" Willow giggled. Buffy grabbed her robe of the back of her chair, picked up her bathroom stuff, and off they went.  
  
(To Be Continued . . .)  
  
[Author's Note #2: I got far less guesses than I thought I would for the last chapter . . . 'You make me sad, Sir Knight' best describes my feelings about that! I'll give you a hint, and tell you that the two guesses were VERY close, and one was partly correct! If you guess it right and leave your E-Mail address I'll send you a choice of SPOILERS or something else at the request of the Writing Style Queen (Or King, if that's the case). ~VixenRaign~] 


	16. A Lot To Digest

= = = (*A Lot To Digest*) = = =  
  
After hastily dressing , and a kiss at the door, they were off. Waiting out in the open, down in the student's center, Buffy and Willow stood looking for Tara. It was obvious that the redhead was anxious, shifting her weight from foot to foot, and wringing her hands every so often. Buffy walked up behind her, and wrapped her arms around the Witch's waist, hugging her tightly. Willow lavished in the touch until she noticed a boy looking at them sideways. She squirmed slightly, but Buffy didn't let go.  
  
"Don't worry," she whispered in her ear, "I've got my eye on him." Willow smiled slightly, but it quickly faded.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow asked quietly, "What are we gonna do?"  
  
"We're going to go out and have Brunch with Tara." Buffy replied, only half joking. The tone implied that they would take things step my step, dealing with problems as they came up. "We're going to tell our families, or at least I am . . . and I want to tell our friends." The Slayer felt Willow stiffen.  
  
"Buffy, I'm not . . . -" she started, but was interrupted.  
  
"Hey, it's okay. I know you're nervous, so am I. But every time I keep a secret, it blows up in my face, and I don't want that to happen this time. This is too good to screw up. You don't have to tell your parents, and we don't have to tell the Scoobies right away . . . but I do want to tell them eventually. I'm going to tell my mom, I think she'd want to know . . . and I kind of want to tell her."  
  
"Buffy, I . . ." Willow stated, but stopped. Buffy kissed her neck sweetly, and told her to say whatever she wanted. Willow shook her head. "I don't know what to do. I've never been in a situation like this. My parents freaked out over Oz, and that was because he was a musician! Oh Goddess . . . what would they say if I told them I was dating a woman! And on top of that, YOU, of all people! My mom can't even remember you name, and she's always going on and on about how bad of an influence you are!" Willow was working herself into a tizzy, worried out being disowned and financially disconnected. Buffy rubbed her tummy gently, and told her things would be alright.  
  
"Willow, it'll be okay. We'll work things out. Telling people is hard, it always is, but I want them to know. I want to be able to kiss you without people's eye popping out of their sockets (granted, that'll probably happen anyways with Xander). I'm proud of us, and I want to be able to tell people you're my girlfriend. Besides, you and my mom already met so no worries about weather or not my parents approve!" Buffy finished laughing, but Willow quickly turned around in Buffy's arms, a scared look in your face.  
  
"Oh God! Buffy, Your MOM!" gasped, "What will she think when she finds out we're dating! Your mom was more of a mother to me then my own was, and what if she freaks out and . . . and . . ." Willow sputtered, trying to think of something, "Hates me! I've perverted her daughter! Oh Goddess, she's going to kill me . . ." Willow slumped in Buffy's arms, resting an exasperated head on the Slayer's shoulder. Buffy kissed her forehead and rubbed her back gently.  
  
"Hey, it'll be okay. My mom loves you, and you know that. Don't worry about her, I'll tell her myself if you want?" Willow nodded her head from its place on the Slayer's shoulder. "Hey, cheer up. Everything will be okay. Let's just take this one step at a time. If you want I'll go with you to tell your parents, and that's only if you want to. But first and foremost, let's get through today, alright?" Buffy reached down and lifted the witch's chin with a crooked finger.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow asked quietly, "What are we going to tell Tara?" Buffy looked away. She did really like Tara, she seemed like a great person, but she didn't want to jeopardize her relationship with Willow for anything. Plus, it would be like choosing A-Track tapes over CDs. Willow was perfect, her everything. She was all that Buffy had ever wanted in anyone, Best-friend or Lover, and now she had both all rolled up into the same amazingly beautiful package.  
  
"We'll tell her the truth. Good place to start, right? A Girl we just met, and a potential friend. Besides, I think she'll figure it out, she seems like a smart girl."  
  
"Buffy," Willow asked in the same small voice, "Are you stilt going to flirt with her?" Buffy smiled, and held in a laugh. She shook her head , and the Witch smiled, glad to see that Buffy had chosen her completely. Suddenly, Willow's Resolve-Face was firmly set, and Buffy actually looked scared. "In that case," Willow started firmly, "You can tell her." When the Slayer didn't respond right away, Willow's eyes widened threateningly.  
  
"Okay! Okay! I'll tell Tara!" she responded quickly.  
  
"Tell me what?" both girls spun around to find Tara standing right behind them. They sprang apart, and looked at each other guiltily. Tara didn't look all that surprised to see them standing that close, but they still felt nervous, knowing that they were going to tell her.  
  
"Uh, that we . . ." Buffy started, now knowing how to cover it, "Can't go to Chez Louis. I know that it's supposed to have great Breakfast food, but since I'm paying for you guys I have this feeling I'm gonna end up having to wash dishes if we go there." Buffy nodded slightly, happy with her excuse. Tara smiled, as though she knew better.  
  
"T-That's okay, I thought w-we w-were just going to eat on campus. I don't r-really go out much, and all the food I get that's n-not from the Cafeteria is t-take-out." She blushed slightly, finding her introverted nature rather embarrassing. Both girls smiled, though Buffy a bit more widely.  
  
"In that case, we HAVE to go out to eat!" she put her hands on Tara's shoulders, and looked her in the eyes. After a few seconds, she let go, a look of realization on her face. "You're a Vegetarian, aren't you?" Tara, slightly surprised, nodded. Buffy turned to Willow and asked, "Do they still have that farmer's market down on Fletcher street?"  
  
"I think so . . ." Willow said, deep in thought, but then looking up, "But I think it's only on Sundays now." She smiled, ruefully.  
  
"Okay then, new idea!" Buffy said looking at Tara, "I know that you're probably going to cringe when I say this but, how about The Village Dinner?" No response from Tara. "I know, not exactly health food, but they have great fruit salad. My mom used to take me there for breakfast right when me moved to Sunnydale. What do you think?" she asked, looking between Tara and Willow. Willow nodded.  
  
"W-Would they have pancakes?" Tara asked, looking down at her shuffling shoes. Buffy laughed, and assured her they did.  
  
Together the tree girls walked out of the Student's Center, and right away Buffy asked for Tara's version of events from the night before. She told them that she had seen Willow in the Wicca group, and wanted to find her so they could do some spells to get people's voices back. She had been attacked and fallowed by the creepy men on her way over to their dorm. Willow then took her Book-Worm roll and explained that the 'Creepy Men' had in fact been Fairy-Tale creatures called The Gentlemen. Then Willow asked Tara a question.  
  
"How did you move the Vending Machine like that?" This question had been bugging Willow every second she had spent thinking about it (which wasn't much, due to how distracted she was by the OTHER large even of the previous night). Tara smiled slightly, and explained.  
  
"I r-really didn't do much. The power to m-move the object came alm-m- most entirely from you. You have s-so m-much power Willow, but you have very little focus. How m-much time did you spend, um, learning your craft?" Willow looked confused.  
  
"Well," she started, thinking hard, "I guess it really started right at the end of Junior year. But I didn't really do it very much until I was a Senior."  
  
"That's how long you've b-been practicing, I m-meant how long have you studied?" Willow looked confused, and turned to Buffy, who looked REALLY lost as it was. "You didn't study the Craft before you started practicing it?" Tara sounded both shocked and worried.  
  
"Yeah, so?" Tara looked down at her feet, but back up again. She glanced at Buffy, then turned to Willow.  
  
"People who do magic are supposed to find their inner center before the try and harness the magic within it. That's why it takes so long to become a witch. A person can't just wake up one day and start meditating until they find an inner calm. They need to do a lot of work to place the origins of where the power comes from and how they got it. I didn't do spells until I was seven, but I had been practicing the Craft my entire life." Both girls looked at her a bit shocked. Willow because she didn't realize she had been doing something wrong, and Buffy because Tara hadn't stuttered once. The Slayer realized that the blonde drew confidence from her magic, and that perhaps tutoring Willow might help the Scoobies, but also help the girl come out of her shell a bit more.  
  
"I think we've just realized why you couldn't move the Vend by yourself . . ." Tara trailed off, deep in thought. "You have the power, but you lack the focus." She turned back to Willow. "When I took you hand last night, and we did that spell, the power came entirely from you, but it was simply channeled through me. Kind of like a funnel." Willow nodded, while Buffy felt a bit confused.  
  
"Wait," she started slowly, "Willow has power, and you have focus. So, like, together you make the perfect Witch?" Buffy guessed. Tara nodded, realizing that all her babble about Magic may have made the Slayer feel a bit left out. "Why don't you teach Willow how to find focus, and then when it comes to big spells you too can work together?" Willow nodded, and looked to Tara to see if she was interested, but the Blonde just looked confused.  
  
"W-When would I n-need to do a big spell?" She looked almost suspicious. Willow looked to Buffy, and they all stopped walking. The Slayer sighed, and looked to Tara.  
  
"Do you know what a Slayer is?" Tara shook her head, and Buffy gave her the text-book definition. She told her about her calling, and how she had come to be here in Sunnydale. They slowly started walking again, Tara listening intently all the while. She told the Sorceress about all the crazy things that go bump in the night, and how she fought them on a regular basis. She also told her about Willow's involvement. She told her about Giles and Xander, and even about Faith and Kendra. Tara seemed shocked, yet interested. She asked a lot of questions about what they did with Demons.  
  
"S-S-So . . . D-Do you k-kill all demons, or j-j-just the ones t-that like to k-kill people?" Tara didn't look at Buffy when she said this, and the Slayer guessed why. {Wicca, of course! They're not even supposed to hurt plants, and here I am going on and on about all the things I kill regularly . . . how rude am I?}.  
  
"No, Tara. We do research to make sure that they're here for trouble first, then we Slay. If they're not bothering anyone, then they're just left alone." Tara still looked worried.  
  
"W-What if t-they did something b-bad, b-but they didn't m-m-mean to? Like, w-what if it w-was a mistake? Like, i-if they w-were trying to help, b-but things j-j-just -"  
  
"Tara!" Buffy cut her off quickly, trying to calm her down. The sorceress had gotten herself so in such a state the Slayer could hardly understand her. "Just calm down, you're working yourself up for no reason." Buffy pulled the door of this diner open, and waved the ladies in. "We know that not all demons are bad. At the end of my Junior year I met one that was actually trying to help me alter an ancient prophecy. He was kind of like a Karma Demon, his job was to keep balance between good and bad, though he worked mostly for good since we're always the underdog."  
  
The Slayer had led them to a booth, and told her about their encounter with Whistler and the prophecy about Angel. Tara asked who Angel was, and when Buffy looked away, the blonde knew it must have been bad. Willow took the liberty of explaining, and Tara looked near tears by the end. Willow told her about his return, and how he had gone down to LA to be a Private Investigator, trying to help the helpless and saving souls. Just as she finished, the waitress asked them if they were ready to order. They all seemed to cheer up at the mention of food.  
  
After ordering, they went back to talking about the types of things they encountered on the Hellmouth. Willow told Tara about Oz, another good example for the good-bad-guy paradigm. As they ate, Buffy and Willow told the new girl about some of the scarier stories of high-school, and about Buffy's Demon-Room-Mate. Tara asked if the life of a Scooby-Member was always so life threatening and dangerous, and Buffy assured her it wasn't.  
  
Truth be told, it was mostly the Slayer that got hurt and did nightly patrols, so she was the one to receive the brunt of the pain. They asked her to give being a Slayerette a try, and after a bit of wheedling she agreed. They said that she could simply be Willow's Magic partner, to which she agreed eagerly, and then help with research. She said she'd love to give it a try, and they told her it was entirely voluntary, so she didn't have to go ALL the time. When they were finished, Buffy gave Willow the money to pay, leaving Tara and Buffy alone at the table.  
  
"She's r-really funny." Tara said smiling. Buffy nodded, and smiled at Willow, waiting in the line to pay. "You're really luck to have her as a girl-friend." Buffy's eye shot back to Tara. Tara just kept smiling. {She didn't even stutter!} Buffy thought.  
  
"How did you . . . ?"  
  
"If you're l-looking for it, th-then it's, um, not hard to find." Tara blushed, and looked down at her hands in her lap. Buffy reached across the table, taking the blonde's hands in her own. "Buffy?" she asked slowly, "Were y-you flirting with m-me last night?" Buffy nodded, and cleared her throat.  
  
"Look, Tara . . . I'm sorry about that. I should not have done that, and I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, or led you on. I really like you, and you're a great person, but Willow and I . . ." she sighed, and looked up from the countertop to her copper-toped best-friend. "We just started this, and I don't want to mess it up, ya know?" she looked at Tara, and saw so many emotions on her beautiful face. Confusion, Disappointment, but ultimately; understanding. She nodded, and smiled again.  
  
"B-Buffy?" she asked slowly, "H-How long have the two of you been t- together?" her tone was friendly and light. Buffy slowly pulled her hand back, and smirked more to herself then to the sorceress.  
  
"Less than 12 hours." Tara's eyes bugged, and she looked away, blushing slightly. Buffy laughed, and continued. "We've know that we had feelings for each other for about three weeks now, but we decided that we both needed some time so soon after our break-ups. We only just made it official last night . . . I don't ever want to think what would have happened to her if you hadn't saved her." She looked up at Tara, who smiled just as widely.  
  
"I-I've never s-saved anyone before . . ."  
  
"Must be a skill you're born with." Buffy smiled as Willow walked back to the table, money in hand. She handed it to Buffy, and got her coat. Buffy looked at the bills in a fairly confused way. "Willow? Did you pay at all? I counted it perfectly, I gave exact change . . . ?"  
  
"I know," Willow said as Tara got up, "I spit the bill with you." She smiled smugly, but Buffy frowned. "What? I don't get to pay? It was MY life she saved, you know!" she laughed, and the two witches led the way out of the Diner. As they walked they talked about less Slayer-esk things, and simply about school. Tara, it turned out, was going to be a History Major with a minor in literature. When asked why, she said it was because she loved history, it was all these people that were living their lives and had created a time that then became the past. As for the literature, she enjoyed reading and writing.  
  
As they got back to Campus, they waved Tara off as she headed for her own dorm, and the two new girl-friends headed further down the path to Stevenson. Buffy told Willow that she didn't need to tell Tara about their being together, because she'd already known. Willow talked to Buffy about how glad she was that she was going to FINALLY have a magic partner again, and how excited she was that Tara would help her move past the Pencil-Floating stage. As they opened the door to their Dorm, both were shocked to find a tall blonde boy standing in the middle of their room, seemingly pacing.  
  
"Riley . . ."  
  
(To Be Continued . . . )  
  
  
  
  
  
(Author's note: Wow, that took forever to type! Hope you all like it, and that you enjoy the mini cliffhanger. I hope to get back to more of my writing soon, though it may take a while, lots of crazy life stuff going on right now . . . PLEASE REVIEW! The more reviews, the more I want to write!) 


	17. The Second Course

(Author's Note: Sorry about the delay, it took me a while to find some free time, and I had to write this chapter a couple of times before I got it to a point where I didn't feel utter shame in posting it . . . Well! On that note, here it is! Chapter 17 . . . )  
  
= = = (*The Second Course*) = = =  
  
"Riley . . ." He turned towards then, face set, though his nerves were bubbling under the stony surface. Willow walked slowly over to her desk, and put down her bag.  
  
"Buffy." It was a statement, not a question. Buffy stayed by the door, leaning against it, arms crossed. Riley approached her, and she looked like she was about to growl. The Corn-Fed-All-American stopped in his tracks and looked to Willow.  
  
"Willow, could you excuse us for a minute?" Willow nodded and headed to the door.  
  
"No." Buffy said, looking from Riley to the witch and back again, "Anything you have to say, she can hear." Willow held in a smile, thou8gh feeling awkward about being unwanted in the room.  
  
"Uh . . . Buffy?" Riley started slowly, "There are a few things I wanted to speak to you about in private . . . ?" He reached out to take her arm, and this time she really did growl.  
  
"No . . ." Buffy calmed and looked to Willow again, "I want her to hear." Riley became rather stiffened, and walked over towards the bed. "Why don't you start us off, since this was you idea?" Riley cleared his throat and looked to the floor.  
  
"Who are you?" No Answer, "Why is a freshman walking through the streets of Sunnydale at night when people's hearts are being ripped out . . . with a cross-bow no less?!" Buffy tried to hide her smile, and Willow held in a small laugh. "I want some answers, Buffy . . . I think you owe me that-"  
  
"I owe you?!" Buffy yelled, "I don't owe you anything! And I'm not the only one that kept secrets . . ." Riley looked away, sputtering slightly. "I'm a Slayer." Riley stared at her blankly.  
  
"You're a what?" Buffy surprised.  
  
"Slayer?" Nothing, "One who Slays Vampires?" still nada, "She who spends way too much time in grave-yards . . .?"still nothing but a slightly glazed stair. "Look it up, ask around. 'Slayer,' comma 'The' . . ." Willow giggled.  
  
"Okay, so you're a Slayer-" Buffy cut him off again.  
  
"Yeah, and what are you?" he didn't respond, seeming as though deep in though, "Let me guess: You're a soldier, working for a top secret government organization that tracks, kills, and neutralizes Vampires, Demons and other evils in order to research and control their numbers and abilities." It sounded like a question, but it wasn't. It was a statement, and Riley knew it.  
  
"Close," he said, Willow smiled, "A little too close . . ."  
  
"I bet you even have a Sci-Fi-Movie-esk name for them like-"  
  
"HSTs . . . . Hostile Sub-Terrestrials." He filled in, frowning slightly, "How do you know all this?" Buffy just smiled, though it was obviously to hide her anger.  
  
"You and your Commando-Demon-Hunter-Wanna-Bes have been getting in my way. Almost got Willow killed a few weeks ago . . ." Buffy looked at her, and the Witch almost snarled.  
  
"Twice, actually." The witch was done hiding in the corner, "And where do you come off trying to kid-nap me? First Spike comes in here in order to piss Buffy, then a bunch of men break into my room and try to drag me off . . . !" Willow was practically yelling in his face now. Buffy put a hand on her shoulder, and Willow turned around and hugged her quickly.  
  
"That still doesn't answer how you know all this . . ." Riley stated, slightly worried about a security breach . . . {An Insider, maybe?}  
  
"You've been invading my turf. My number are down, and weird guys in uniform have attacked an . . ." Buffy paused, trying to think of a word to describe exactly what Spike was to them, " . . . An 'associate' of ours. He told us about your operations and explained some of the stud going on in your underground facilities." Riley looked shocked, {Must be an Insider!}  
  
"Who do you work for?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"Me?" she asked dismissively, "I don't work for anyone anymore." He looked confused, "I used to work for the Watcher's Counsel, but I quit last year . . ." she glanced at Willow, then back at Riley, "You're really never heard of me?" She asked skeptically.  
  
"She's kind of the scourge of the Un-Dead-Underworld . . . Most Vampires and Demons know who she is." Willow frowned, "I'd have thought that a soldier from a highly trained and organized military project would at least have heard of her." The witch glanced at her girl-friend, and Buffy smiled. The Slayer took her work seriously, and even prided herself on it at times.  
  
Riley cleared his throat, and reached to take Buffy's arm. Before he even had the chance to think, his arm was twisted behind his back and his face was pressed against the back of the door. Wincing against the pain, Riley grunted. Willow smiled to herself.  
  
"Don't even try it Riley . . ." She growled.  
  
"Ahh!" He grunted as she pressed his arm higher, "I wasn't gonna hurt you, I was just gonna take you out-side."  
  
"Why?" she asked coldly.  
  
"I wanted to talk to you . . ." He groaned, " . . . About when we . . ." he grunted, and she let go. Rubbing his shoulder he opened the door expecting her to walk through it. She didn't move. "Uh, Buffy?" he asked, pointing to the open door.  
  
"I told you," she said, voice still chilly, "Anything you have to say, you'll have to say in front of Willow." She paused to look at the Witch in question and her face softened slightly with a smile. "Besides, I want her to hear."  
  
{Oh, yeah . . .} Riley thought, {I forgot that Willow was really pushing for us to get together. I bet she'll be glad that I finally took the plunge last night}  
  
"I just wanted to talk to you about the rest of last night. I'm a walking bruise today, but you . . ." he stopped to look her up and down, causing Willow to squirm, ""I don't see a hair out of place. You took the same beating I did, maybe more . . . How are you walking? I saw you take a scalpel in the back?" Willow's eyes bugged, and she paled considerably, turning to Buffy. The Slayer looked back apologetically.  
  
"It's a Slayer thing." Buffy brush off the comment quickly, "Besides, Willow took really good care of me." Buffy smile held a secret to Riley, though Willow's blush (which he missed entirely) would have cleared it right up. Riley smiled and turned to the blonde.  
  
"You could have come to me," he replied, more then just a hint of flirtation in his voice, "I'm sure I could have treated you just fine . . ." Buffy turned and walked past Willow, a disgusted look on her face as she headed to her closet. Opening it, she removed her jacket.  
  
"Trust me Riley," Buffy said, voice cold again as she hung her coat and closed the door, "I needed special care." She winked at Willow and smiled when she blushed. Her smiled widened as she turned back to Riley. "So, how's you shoulder?" She asked, a snide tone to her voice.  
  
"Almost broken . . ." he said slowly looking confused, "The doctor said I was lucky it didn't snap-"  
  
"Yeah, and you try that crap again and I'll be the one to Snap . . .!" The Slayer practically snarled at him. "What was that all about Riley? You're a great friend, but . . ."  
  
"You didn't know I liked you?" he guessed, glancing at Willow who was not looking very pale. "I thought you'd see right through me . . ." Riley bowed his head and did the shy-smile-thing. Both girls rolled there eyes and glance at each other, both faces the very essence of 'Puh-leez!'  
  
"No, Riley . . ." Buffy said, voice softening slightly, "I knew. I just don't feel that way about you. Did I ever make you think otherwise?" Riley was about to reply, to defend himself, when he realized it was true. Though they had been friends, and were getting to be close friends, there was really no evidence to show his feelings were reciprocated. "If there was, I'm sorry if I led you on. Besides, I'm with someone now . . ." Buffy discreetly looked to Willow who was trying to wipe the small smug smile off her face.  
  
"Yeah, I heard." He said shortly, "Willow told me." Buffy looked at the Witch surprised, "She told me you were sort of 'UnOfficially' seeing someone. Sure I can't change your mind?" he asked, putting on his best smile. Buffy smiled at him disappointedly.  
  
"Sorry." She didn't feel it though, "I hope this won't effect our friendship too much . . . ? I really liked hanging out with you. How am I supposed to pass Psych 101 without you to explain it to me?" she asked kindly. He smiled sadly, and nodded. He walked to the door, and opened. They said their goodbyes, and with perfect synchronization both girls flopped down onto their beds. The looked to each other, and smiled.  
  
"Is it just me," Willow asked, "Or is today a *really* long day?" Buffy giggled, and nodded her agreement.  
  
"But you make it worth it." The Slayer stated seriously. Willow smiled and looked at the clock.  
  
"And lucky us, it's only 3:40 . . ." when she looked back at Buffy's bed she found a sleeping Slayer snoring adorably.  
(Author's note: Hope you liked the chapter! More is to come as soon as possible, and I should warn you that there will be a little more 'Romance' on the way. The only trouble is Danny, my friend who wrote those sequences for me, is kinda . . . not my friend anymore. So from now on I will be the author of the Lovin' scenes, and they therefore will not be as good as the once were. Sorry . . . :-( E-Mail me at VixenRaign@Yahoo.com ) 


	18. Sleepy Snuggles

(Author's Note: Sorry about the delay, I hope you like this chapter, and please excuse the fact that I am no longer receiving help on the romantic scenes they will therefore be far worse than before. My sincerest apologies.)  
  
WARNING: This Chapter Is Rated 'R' For Mature Themes and Adult Situations. This Is A Buffy/Willow Fem-Slash Pairing. If That Bothers You, or Is Illegal Where You Live: Don't Read (Or Move).  
  
.  
  
= = = (*Sleepy Snuggles*) = = =  
  
Willow slowly opened her eyes. The room was warm and quiet. Looking at the clock she saw that it was now 9:47pm. They must have slept all afternoon. The Witch quickly looked over at the Slayer's bed and found it empty and still made. On the middle of the mattress was a note. Willow stretched and hopped up off the bed. Reaching over she grabbed the note and unfolded it.  
  
'Hey Sweety,' it read. 'I guess we both fell asleep. Sorry about that, but like you said: Today seemed pretty tiring. I'm going to head over to Giles' and then go Slaying. I should be back by 10:30, so no worries. I would have woken you, but you just looked so cute sleeping there . . .' Willow smiled and finished reading the note. 'Miss you already, -Buffy'. Willow smiled and read the note again. Oz never left her cute little notes. And Xander practically never wrote all summer while he had been on his Road-Trip.  
  
Getting up Willow opened the bottom drawer in her nightstand. Reaching all the way back she pulled out a small box. Placing it on the bed, Willow folded the letter again so that it would fit. As she opened the lid of the box she looked over its contents. There was a movie ticket from when Buffy first came to Sunnydale (the first thing they did alone together that wasn't Demon fighting), the note that Buffy left on her bed from before she ran away to LA (she stole it from Joyce), and a page out of The Books Of Ascension (when Buffy risked the world to save her).  
  
She carefully placed the new piece of paper in the box, and put it back into the box. After carefully placing it back into her nightstand, Willow looked at the clock again. It was 10:02 now. {Just enough time to get ready for bed} she thought. Willow gathered her bathroom stuff and headed off down the hall. She washed her face and brushed her teeth. Once she got back to the room she changed into a long flannel shirt that came down to about mid-thigh. She reached for a pair of pajama bottoms, and paused. She looked down at herself, and then at the door. With a small smile on her face, she put them back into the drawer, and climbed under the sheets of her bed, waiting for Buffy to come home . . .  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Buffy walked down the hall slowly. She had been slightly hurt while out Slaying and she didn't want Willow to worry when she came back to the dorm. It really was nothing, just a hard hit to the ribs. By the morning, there would be barely even the memory of it. {Gotta Love Slayer Healing!} she thought. As she reached the door, she thought about how crazy the day had been. {Was it just me, or did today seem to last forever?} she asked no one in particular. Clasping the handle, she took a deep breath, and turned her wrist.  
  
The room was lit only by the small lamp on the nightstand, and Willow was curled up in her own bed. The redhead looked so calm, smiling to herself. Buffy smiled, and grabbed her bathroom stuff. A few minutes later she came back, and looked at Willow, still grinning slightly. Buffy wondered what she could have been dreaming about. The Witch was known for talking in her sleep. She made a point to turn away from Willow so she wouldn't see the bruise that she was sure covered her stomach. She didn't notice Willow open her eyes and take a peek as her girl-friend changed. Quickly closing her eyes again, Buffy turned around.  
  
As Buffy started to walk towards the beds, she stopped. Willow was sleeping in her bed. Her own bed, not Buffy's. She hadn't noticed this when she first came into the room. For some reason it surprised her. She'd just expected that Willow would be in her bed. The Slayer scolded herself; she shouldn't expect Willow to do anything she wasn't ready for. They had slept together in Buffy's bed the night before, and though she wanted to curl up with Willow tonight, she realized she'd have to respect her choice and sleep by herself tonight.  
  
Buffy started walking again, and pulled the sheets up on her bed. Crawling under them, she got comfortable. Just as she found a nice comfy space, she realized the light was still on. Sighing, Buffy sat up again, and reached for the lamp. Just as she clicked it off, she saw the Witch's face. It was frowning. Willow's cute lips where in a sort of sad pout. It was small, but Buffy could see it even in the dark. Buffy laid back down, a frown on her face now too.  
  
"Good night Willow." Buffy whispered, not wanting to wake the Witch. She looked at the redhead for a few minutes, and then closed her eyes.  
  
"Night Buffy." Came the almost silent whisper from across the room. When the Slayer opened her eyes again, she saw that Willow had snuggled under the covers to the point where she was almost invisible. She could tell that Willow was upset; it had been obvious in the tight way Willow had said goodnight to her. Buffy got up silently, using all the Slayer-Stealth she could spare with her hurt stomach. She walked over to Willow's bed and pulled up the sheets, causing Willow to gasp.  
  
"Buffy! What are you- " But Willow didn't get the opportunity to answer. The Slayer wrapped her arms around the redhead's middle and held her close.  
  
"What's wrong?" Buffy asked her gently, "You were all smiles when I came into the room, then you got upset . . . is it because I turned the light off? I thought you liked the light off?" Buffy asked her quietly. Willow frowned and shook her head.  
  
"No, it's just . . ." Willow cut herself off. She wished Buffy had just stayed in her bed. She didn't want to talk about it, just hearing what she'd been thinking made her feel stupid. She didn't want to make Buffy feel like she had to do certain things, especially if she didn't want to.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked, caressing the Witch's face softly. She hated to admit it, but Faith had been correct about her Post-Slaying theory. Being this close to Willow after such a rigorous fight was messing with her purity of focus. "What is it, Sweety? Tell me . . . Please?" Buffy asked quietly. Willow caved; a pouty Slayer was an irresistible Slayer.  
  
"You went to bed . . ." Willow said slowly. Buffy nodded. " . . . Your own bed." Buffy looked like she was waiting for the rest of it.  
  
"Did I forget to kiss you goodnight?" Buffy asked, a small smirk playing at the edge of her lips. Willow couldn't help but smile too.  
  
"Well, yeah . . ." she said slowly, looking Buffy in the eye, "But you also forgot to, you know, tuck me in . . . ?"  
  
"But you were already in bed when I got back. I thought you were asleep." Buffy said, she obviously wasn't getting whatever Willow was trying to tell her, and she hoped the girl would just say it. {She's expecting me to pick up on subtlety while she's all cute and I'm all . . . distracted?!"} She yelled at herself.  
  
"Well, yeah, Okay," Willow said shyly, "But you . . . I mean . . ." Willow took a deep breath and looked away from her girl-friend. "I was cold. I thought it'd be warmer . . . I kind of thought you'd be, well, sleeping in here with me." Willow had gotten progressively quieter until the last part was hard even for the slayer to hear. But she heard it. She suddenly burst out laughing. Willow blushed uncontrollably, and hid her face in the pillows as best she could.  
  
"You're kidding right?" Willow looked up sheepishly, and shook her head. "That is so funny." Willow pouted, and hid her face in the pillow again. "Willow, come on," Buffy said, reaching and grabbing the Witch's chin gently, "you shouldn't hide such a pretty face." Willow blushed, but still pouted. "Come on Will, what's wrong?"  
  
"You laughed at me . . . I know it was silly to think that- " Buffy cut her off.  
  
"No I wasn't Willow." Buffy said gently but forcefully, "I was laughing at myself. I thought the same thing when I came in here. I thought you'd want to sleep together."  
  
"Then why didn't you get in bed with me?" Willow asked quietly.  
  
"I thought that, you know, since we're room-mates that I should respect the fact that we both live here. I thought that this was you wanting to be by your self in your own space."  
  
"Why would you think that?"  
  
"Because, well, it's your bed." Willow looked like she was still confused. "Well, last night . . . we were in my bed. I thought that if you wanted to be with me, then that's where you'd be. I know, it was stupid of me to think that you'd just *be there*, waiting for me - " Willow kissed Buffy gently on the lips, and pulled back smiling. Buffy was on fire, every inch of her skin burned and ached to be touched. She needed Willow so badly. {Take it easy Slayer . . .} Her other half warned, {She's never seen you in Post-Slay-Lust . . . don't want to scare her, do you?} Buffy shook her head, and then remembered that she was the only one who could hear the voice.  
  
"Buffy, I thought we'd sleep in my bed tonight since we were in your bed last night." Willow said, a laugh noticeably bubbling under the surface. "We're quite the pair, aren't we?" She said laughing. Buffy just grinned widely and held her Lover tightly to her.  
  
"Yeah, we are." She said seriously, making Willow smile. "Promise me something?" Willow nodded. "Next time we're trying to communicate, let's use words?" Willow laughed and nodded. "Well, unless we have our voiced stolen by fairy-tale creatures again." She said, laughing herself.  
  
She kissed Willow's temple lightly, and then her cheeks. She kissed the tip of her nose, and all the while she kept repeating {Stay calm, cool, take it slow, be gentle . . .}. She watched Willow close her eyes, and sigh deeply. She felt herself shudder and knew she'd have to calm down or go back to her own bed. It had never been this hard with Angel, but then again; she'd never shared a room and now a bed with the Vampire. She kissed her lips softly, and tickled the witches nose with the tip of hers, watching as the opened her eyes again. The green orbs where slightly glazed and the pupils were large and black. Smiling, Buffy kissed her fully, feeling her passion well with every caress of their lips.  
  
Willow was dizzy with pleasure. She was completely submerged in beauty and delight. The feel of Buffy kissing her passionately for the first time since last night invoked all the ardor from the night before. The Witch shook and shivered with the force of all the feelings running through her body. She'd never felt Loved like this. With Oz, there was always a sense that it wasn't really for them, as though they had been in love for other people. She always wondered if he knew about her feelings for Buffy. {Well, I knew about his little crushes on Devon and Larry} Willow thought, {I doubt he'd mind}.  
  
"Willow?" Buffy asked breathlessly, pulling away from her girl-friend slightly. "Are you okay?" she asked, having felt the girl shake. She nodded, and pulled Buffy close again, burying her face in the crook of the Slayers shoulder as she gasped for breath. She wasn't used to this, but she was really enjoying it. Oz was never a passionate person, you could tell that after talking to him for five minutes. But with Buffy . . . Willow felt like she could be this person that she'd never been able to before. Like maybe she didn't have to be shy, like she didn't have to be afraid of what her Lover might think. Looking up into her Hazel eyes, Willow smiled.  
  
"I don't think I'll ever be this okay again." She whispered. Buffy reached down and touched her cheek softly. Willow ran her hands down to the blonde's hips, and held her close. Buffy gasped, and completely wrapped herself around the Witch; Legs, Arms and all. Willow giggled and held her, running her fingers attentively under the hem of her shirt. Buffy sighed deeply, and nuzzled the redhead's neck. Suddenly, the Slayer groaned and sat bolt up-right. Willow's fingers had hit her bruise and it had hurt . . . a lot. {Busted!} Buffy thought as she tried to lay back down, but the Witch wouldn't let her.  
  
"Buffy?! What's wrong?" she said, as she tried to lift the bottom of the blonde's shirt. Buffy sat up and moved away quickly. "What is it, are you okay?" she asked, panicked worry evident in her voice.  
  
"Now, Willow," Buffy said slowly, stopping her lover's attempts at lifting the shirt, "I'm fine, okay? It just looks bad. I *promise* that I will be alright by tomorrow, okay?" Willow nodded frantically, and reached for the shirt again. Buffy's hands took hold of hers and kissed them by way of distraction. Willow smiled, though sadly, and looked at Buffy again.  
  
"Please? I want to see." Buffy sighed, and reached for her shirt. Willow's eye bugged slightly when she removed it entirely. {Wow!} She gasped to herself, {I think I could get used to this . . .}. There was a large bruise running from her stomach up to part of her ribs. It was variations of blue, black, and purple. Willow reached out to touch it, and Buffy didn't stop her (though she did grimace). Willow scooted closer, running her fingertips gently over the legion. She head Buffy take in a long, slow and deep breath, and looked up to see that the blonde had closed her eyes. {She doesn't look like she's in pain though?} Willow thought, {I wonder . . .}. The Witch ran her whole hand softly of the damaged area, her other hand mimicking it on her uninjured side.  
  
"Ooooooooh!" Buffy let out a long quiet moan. Willow smiled as she watched the color rise in her girl-friends cheeks. She did it again, teasing the tender and supple flesh, causing goose bumps to rise. She listened as Buffy took in a shuddering breath, her whole body shaking with what seemed to be the mere act of sitting up straight. Willow couldn't describe the sense of power these simple touches were instilling in her. The fact that Buffy could fight some of the strongest and darkest forces on this earth, and yet it was the red-head's loving caresses that reduced her to shaking, gasping, and moaning. With a little evil grin in place, she started to run her hands over the Slayer's sides again. This time, she gently prodded the bruise with the pad of her thumb, causing Buffy to cry out.  
  
"Ow!" Buffy's eye popped open, a look of slight shock on her face. She looked at Willow and was met with Resolve Face. Willow's eyes picked up on the fact that the Slayer's pupils seemed to take over their irises even in the dark of the room.  
  
"That's what you get fom trying to hide that from me." Willow said gently. Buffy pouted, her lower lip sticking out. Willow quickly leaned forward, taking the protruding flesh between her own, and sucking it lightly. Buffy moaned low in her throat, and Willow giggled. "Feeling any better?" Willow asked shyly. Buffy nodded, and Willow smiled, pinching the tip of her tongue between her teeth. The Slayer growled and practically pounced on the poor redhead.  
  
"Want to know what would make it feel *Much* better . . . ?" Buffy asked suggestively. Willow put an innocent look on her face, and answered.  
  
"How?" Buffy giggled, and leaned down whispering into the Witch's ear. Whatever she said, it made Willow blush to the point of her head looking like a thermometer that was about to blow. {Which is good, 'cause I'm about to pop . . .} Buffy thought to her self.  
  
"I think I could handle that . . ." Willow said slowly, pulling the Slayer down for a passionate kiss. "But remember," she added breathing hotly on the Slayer's moistened lips, "The Underpants Rule." Buffy nodded in understanding (even though she didn't really), and slowly devoured the Wicca's lips with her own.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
(To Be Continued . . .)  
  
(Author's Note: I KNOW! I'm Sorry! I promised vicarious smoochies, but I just can't write them . . . I really did try but trust me; it was nothing you'd want to read. I'm sorry I can't write the stuff as well as Danielle could, but I will try. Review and tell mw how I'm doing so far or if you have any suggestion. Thanks!)  
  
~ VixenRaign ~ 


	19. Personal Revelations, One

(Author's Note: Due to request, and the fact that this was one of the few things that I could work on while away, I decided to do a small up-date. I hope it is to all of your likings. BTW; I was listening to 'The Italian Job' soundtrack while writing this . . . good for focus!)  
  
= = = (*Personal Revelations*) = = =  
  
The next day the Slayer found herself in Giles' house doing research on some weird star-constellation that was said to be the signal that some great bringing of doomed soothing-or-other. She didn't really care, she could handle it . . . or Slay it at any rate. {Funny how being in love can make everything seem so secondary,} Buffy thought, {All that matters is that she's safe and Happy.}. Willow looked up from her book, feeling the Slayers gaze on her, and smiled. The blonde smiled back, and then returned her eyes to her own book.  
  
"Any luck yet?" Giles asked from the kitchen. The room all grunted in the negative, and the older British man sighed in defeat. "Very well, I think that's enough for today. Off with you all." Before the words had ever left his mouth Anya had Xander by the collar and was dragging him out the door. He gave a feeble wave and was gone. They all held in a laugh at how whipped he was, but at how happy Anya made him.  
  
"Hey Giles?" Willow asked slowly, "What's the name of the prophecy?" Giles sipped his tea, and shook his head.  
  
"One from the Codex. I did some back-reading and came across it. It may not happen for a number of years, but it'd be nice to get a bit of a jump on it." They nodded, and Buffy's face fell slightly. Giles headed back up-stairs quickly, a number of books in hand. Willow, closing her book, noticed the Slayer's distracted look.  
  
"Buffy?" she asked slowly, the blonde didn't seem to ever hear her. Getting up, she walked over to her and sat down on the arm of her chair. Still no movement. Placing a finger under her girl-friends chin she forced her to look at her. As soon as she was pulled out of her reverie, she smiled slightly.  
  
"Hey," she laughed slightly, "Got a little lost in thought." Willow nodded and kissed her head softly.  
  
"What's wrong?" Willow asked almost happily. Buffy just looked at her like she was confused. "Don't give me that face, Buff. You were thinking about something . . . something sad." Buffy looked away, and then back at her girl-friend, a fake smile in place.  
  
"I fine, really. Just thinking about Mid-terms." Willow's face looked accusing, and slowly turned into resolve face. Buffy winced.  
  
"Buffy Anne Summers." Willow stated almost as a warning. "Are you lying to me?" Buffy nodded slowly, knowing there was no weapon to defeat Resolve-Willow. "Then tell me what's really bothering you." It wasn't a question, it was a demand.  
  
"The Prophecy." She said simply. Willow nodded, and waved for her to go on. Sighing, Buffy laid her head into a hand. "It's from the Codex."  
  
"Yes . . . ?" Willow said, a little more gently.  
  
"The book of Slayer-Prophecies." Buffy took a deep breath and felt Willow lay a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Giles thinks it could be YEARS away . . . what if the prophecy isn't for me?" she finished quietly. Willow stiffened, and Buffy felt it. Lifting her head slightly, she winced at seeing the scared look on Willow's face.  
  
"Not for you?" she asked slowly, "You mean . . . like, for another Slayer?" Buffy nodded. "But that's impossible!" Willow said quickly, "Faith's been in a coma for way to long to ever wake up . . . the doctors all said she was vegetable. Her brain is practically soup - Vegetable Soup! There's no one else it could be for." She said firmly.  
  
"Willow," Buffy said gently, "I know that no one likes to talk about it bu - "  
  
"Then don't talk about it!" Willow said almost angrily. "That's what's done in polite circles! When there's something that doesn't want to be heard, and it's not true anyways, then people don't mention it! It's just left alone, to rot and die and be forgotten, and then people can by happy and move on - " the red-head was silenced with a kiss. As Buffy pulled away, she placed a hand on either of the girl's cheeks.  
  
"As cute as you are when you babble like that," she said quietly, "I think we need to talk about this." Willow kept her eyes closed and shook her head. "Willow, please. We know that Slayers don't last forever . . . I'm almost three years over my expiration-date as it is, and although I've out-lasted my two predecessors . . . I think we need to consider that, well, accidence happen." A tear leaked out of the redhead's pinched eyes, and Buffy whipped them away. "Will, please look at me?"  
  
"I can't." she said quietly. Buffy wrapped her up in a hug, and pulled the poor girl into her lap, rocking her gently. "You're not allowed. You're not allowed to leave me, Buffy." She said firmly, "You have to stay until it's the right time for you to go. Or else, when the REAL Apocalypse come and *Everyone* dies, including me." She was starting to sound like a child, and she didn't care. Buffy kissed the top of her head, and laughed slightly. "What's so funny?" Willow demanded sadly.  
  
"There is one other option." She said as she continued to hold her distressed girl-friend. "Faith could be killed off by the Counsel so they can have a new Slayer. Then maybe she can deal with all that World-Savage- Crap . . ." Willow gave a wet chuckle, and wrapped her arms around the blonde's middle.  
  
"Yeah, well, I wish they'd get on with it . . ." she said spitefully. There was so much venom in Willow's words that Buffy pulled back slightly to look down at her girl-friend. The redhead seemed surprised to see the shock on Buffy's face and they just looked at each other for a second.  
  
"Do you really mean that?" the Slayer asked slowly. Willow nodded, wondering why she'd ask. Buffy leaned back, not looking at Willow, but anywhere else.  
  
"What?" She asked slowly. Buffy just shook her head, and waved it off, though she still didn't look at her girl-friend. "What!?" she demanded loudly.  
  
"Nothing, Will, calm down." Buffy said, gently, getting up, forcing the redhead to stand as well.  
  
"No, Buffy, I want to know. What did I say?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing. I just didn't expect that . . . you know . . . forget it." She said, as she started gathering books to put back on the shelves. Buffy grabbed the books out of her hands, and slammed them down on the table.  
  
"Buffy! I've just about had enough of this 'I'll-Keep-It-To-Myself-Crap'! Tell me what - "  
  
"FAITH, OKAY?!" Buffy yelled, right back at her, "Yeah; she messed up, yeah; she could be a real bitch at the worst times, and okay; she tried to kill pretty much all of us, but that doesn't give us the right to wish her dead!" She huffed, and grabbed the books up again, "If it wasn't for her, we never would have beaten The Mayor . . . why does everyone seem to forget that she was the one that fixed the whole in the plan? When it came down to it, she helped us, and I hate the fact that you all pass judgment on her when none of you knew her like I did . . ." Buffy sighed, and flopped down on the couch, looking totally exhausted.  
  
"Are you defending her?" Willow asked, completely shocked. Buffy just shook her head and sighed.  
  
"No." she said flatly, getting up. "Just forget it." She walked over to the book shelves, and started putting the books away slowly.  
  
"Are you actually saying that?" Willow asked her almost angrily. Buffy didn't answer, she just kept putting books back. "You think that all that crap she pulled was actually justified by some stupid dream you two shared while you both were passed out in the hospital?!" with that Buffy slammed the last book home so hard, the wooden backing to the book-case practically shattered. Willow winced, and took a step back.  
  
"Willow?" Buffy said slowly, "Please, stop." This was what most Scoobies called the 'Last-Warning' voice. It sounded perfectly calm, but was like the small bit of humidity you get before an earth-quake, or the way the ocean seems to be placid before a storm. Willow didn't care.  
  
"Is this because you and she had a thing?" Her voice had an edge, and she knew it. Buffy closed her eyes, and slowly turned to Willow. She slowly walked towards her girl-friend, and stood about three feet in front of her. When she did open her eyes, they were completely black. Not a sliver of green was visible, and that scared Willow. The only other times she'd seen Buffy like this was in the throws of heated Passion, or when she was on the Hunt. Not patrolling, that was different . . . this only happened when she went out looking for something to pummel, and thrash, and destroy. Her chest heaved as she slowly began talking.  
  
"Willow," her voice shook slightly with a false calm, "Get - Over - It." She closed her eyes, again, and Willow watched as the Slayer clenched her fists to the point that her knuckles hand turned white. "I Love you, you know that, and - for the record - I kissed her forehead. I don't want Faith, I don't want Tara, why would I EVER want them when I have you? So please, as a favor to me, please drop it." Buffy open her eyes, still slightly dilated, and took a shakingly clam breath. She cleared her throat, and looked everywhere but Willow. As her eyes landed on the door, she slowly walked towards it.  
  
"Buffy!" Willow called haltingly, not wanting the Slayer to leave still mad at her, but the blonde raised her hand, halting all speech. She slowly made her way back out the door. All the while, Willow just stood there, watching her go, wondering how this had all started. {So that's a fight . . .} Willow thought sadly, {Two days and already we're yelling . . . is this a sign?}. The red-head sighed and walked to the doorway. No sign of Buffy in sight. As she walked slowly back towards the campus, she wondered what would happen the next time they saw each-other.  
  
(To Be Continued . . .)  
  
(Author's Note: Hey People! I know that probably wasn't what you wanted, or were expecting, but it was needed. It's part of the story, and I PROMISE - you can hold me to it - that there will be Smoochies and so on and so forth in the next two chapters to come! Just have to wait to get home from Italy . . . )  
  
~ VixenRaign ~  
  
_ 


	20. Understanding Reason

= = = (* Understanding Reason *) = = =  
  
Buffy sat quietly by the bed, taking in the surroundings. Starchy sheets, cold stone floors, and beeping machines with papers all reading out the daily bad news. And worst of the worst: She didn't have to be here. That may be good for her, but the sad part being it was her fault that Faith couldn't leave. She was trapped, here in this bed, for almost eight months. This fighting machine that always seemed so full of life and power and zest couldn't even open her eyes or climb out of bed.  
  
And that was what caused the silence. The sleep the brunette couldn't wake from. They sat there, all alone, Faith's hand in the blonde's and no sounds but the gentle Beep-Beep of the heart monitor and one quiet set of feet making their way down the dead hall out-side. It was deafening, and Buffy felt like her heart were going to implode . . .  
  
"How did you find me here?" Buffy called raspily, her voice dry and torn with the crying she had done all the way to the hospital. The soft and silent feet made their way over to the back of the chair where the blonde sat, remaining quiet for a few extra seconds.  
  
"Magic." Came Willows whispered reply. Sighing she laid a gentle hand on the Slayer's shoulder, but the blonde made no move to acknowledge the gesture. "You gave me quite a Scare, Buffy. I went back to the dorm and waited, but you didn't show. I checked the graveyards alone - which I know you don't like me to do - but I wanted to find you . . . to apologize to you." Willow sighed, and took in the worn and withered look of the brunette in the bed next to them.  
  
"Tara and I did a spell to find Slayers . . . when it pointed me to the hospital, I thought it was leading me to the wrong one." Willow sighed. "But I should have known I'd find you with her." It wasn't spiteful, but it made Buffy turn around to look at her.  
  
"She was what we were yelling about, and I know you must feel bad about what you did Buff . . . that's part of who you are. You care about people, regardless of who they are or what they've done. You believe so strongly in infallible goodness in each person that . . . well, sometimes I wonder if it affects your judgment." Buffy turned her empty, tired eyes back to the girl in the bed. "She painted you into a corner, Buffy. I think a part of her wanted it . . . and I think you know that." The red head gave the shoulder beneath her hand a small squeeze, and it was shrugged off.  
  
"I told her . . . ." Buffy said slowly, voice still rasped from emotion, "I told her we had no right to pass judgment onto others. To play God and take lives when we saw fit. That the strength and speed we were given were to save lives . . . not to end them." Buffy took in a deep shuddering breath and her voice shook. "And that's what I did. I killed her Will . . . God, I Killed A Slayer!" She sobbed suddenly, leaning her head against the hand in hers, tears running down her cheeks and onto the still fingers. Picking her head up slightly, Buffy looked sadly down at the brunette.  
  
"She was always so full of life, you know?" She said, almost affectionately, pushing some loose hair behind the cold ears. "Constant energy and excitement. She always knew how to find the fun . . ." She said slowly, almost nostalgically. "Now look at her . . . forced to stay trapped in this cell of a body, strapped to this bed, and no one to keep her company except a nurse every twelve hours and that *Stupid* Beeping BOX!" Buffy screamed suddenly. Taking a few shaky breaths the blonde quieted slightly. "And I put her here. I did the very thing that made us shun her . . . at least when she killed someone it was an accident." She said slowly, her voice dripping with self-disgust.  
  
"That's it." Willow said firmly. Reaching and grabbing the Slayer's shoulders suddenly, she turned her around so fast the blonde almost fell out of her chair. "Buffy. Listen to me." Willow said sternly, Resolve Face set to full strength, "You are not a killer. You are not responsible for what Faith did, she made her own choices, and she knows it." Leaning in close the redhead whispered to her, "And I think we both know . . . if you wanted some one dead, Slayer or not . . . they'd be dead." Now, that made Buffy blink. She suddenly had a look of confusion on her face, as though she couldn't understand the words coming out of the Wicca's mouth.  
  
"What?" the blonde's were nearly silent, but Willow heard them. Taking the blonde's cheeks in her hands, Willow looked Buffy right in the eye, and saw exactly what she was looking for. Remorse, understanding, and ultimately acceptance could be seen within the hazel orbs. Smiling sadly, Willow leaned forward and kissed the Slayer's forehead just as the tears started leaking down her girlfriend's cheeks.  
  
"Buffy." Willow said firmly in a caring whisper, "When you told me the plan of how you were going to save Angel, I was angry . . . and I was scared. I'd never seen you so intent on hurting someone, a human person, even with how much I hated Faith. She'd hurt us both so much, but all of a sudden that didn't matter because it was the morals you'd held . . . part of what I loved so much about you, they were crumbling. But when I heard the news about you two, about her jumping and the way you sacrificed yourself to Angel . . . I knew it wasn't an accident." At that Buffy quickly pulled away, looking deeply into those green eyes she was getting to know so well.  
  
"You knew?" Buffy said gently. Willow nodded.  
  
"Yeah, I knew." Willow said gently, running her thumbs across the smooth cheeks of her Slayer, "I remembered the way you reacted when you'd thought you'd accidentally killed Ted, you're mom's boyfriend. You were heart-broken, and not just for your mom. I saw the stab wound, and I know, Buffy . . . I know why you aimed so low." Buffy paled slightly, and an audible gulp was heard. "You never planned on killing her. But you did plan on hurting her. You knew you could never feed her to Angel, even if it meant risking death yourself. You wanted her out of the game, unable to help the Mayor, but you never wanted her here, like this." Willow nodded towards the bed. "And I know, Buff, that you blame yourself for her coma."  
  
"But Will - "  
  
"No, Buffy." Willow cut her off quickly, "You never asked her to jump. You can't blame her for deviating from a plan you never told her." Willow kissed her head again gently, and before she could even blink, Buffy was wrapping her up in a air-tight hug. Slowly, she felt the Slayer begin to shake and tremble, her sobs quiet yet heart-wrenching. Gently running her hands over the soft golden hair pressed against her chest. Shushing her gently, Willow let a tear run down her face. "It's okay Buffy," She whispered, "It's okay, I'm here . . . I've got you."  
  
Neither one was sure how long they stayed like that, but neither cared. When they finally let go, two pairs of eyes fell on to the still figure in the bed. Willow glared down at the brunette's form, hating how even in near-death her mere existence caused both of them pain. With Buffy it was endless guilt over the fact that she would never wake-up, and Willow because she was not only forced to watch her love suffer but also because the details of their relationship stayed a well-hidden secret. She watched as Buffy took her hand again, letting her thumb gently caress the fingers and sighing sadly, the tears springing again, though not falling. Placing a gentle hand on the Blonde's shoulder, Buffy leaned down for one last kiss goodbye. Both knew that Buffy probably wouldn't be back, or at least not for a while.  
  
"Goodbye, Faithy." She whispered against the brunette's forehead. Sniffling slightly, Buffy allowed herself to be embraced and led from the hospital. As both girls made their way slowly back to campus, they missed the Slayer's hand twitch on top the hospital bed, feebly trying to reach for the now long-gone hand that once held her so gently . . .  
  
.  
  
.  
  
( To Be Continued . . .)  
  
~VixenRaign ~  
  
(Author's Note: Okay . . . I know that the last chapter wasn't taken very well, that the fighting was confusing, and that the lack of smoochies was up-setting, not to mention that some people felt that it seemed rather out of left field. It was. And I wish I had thought that through a bit more, and eased into the plot a little more lightly. But I promise that the next chapter will be chock-full of smoochies and there will be an explanation later. Hope y'all like that Buffy/Willow goodness, because there's plenty to come!) 


	21. Cold Feet

= = = (* Cold Feet *) = = =  
  
The two girls hurried inside their dorm room and switched on the small heater. Taking off their slightly damp jackets and laying them over their desk chairs, they glanced at each other through the corners of their eyes. The walk home had been surprisingly cold. True, it was early December, but this was Sunnydale. It didn't snow . . . but id did Rain. Why nature started to have a downpour with freezing winds just as they had to walk the whole way across town, the girls were clueless.  
  
"I'm going to take a shower." Buffy said quietly, picking up her bathroom accessories, towel, and pajamas. Willow nodded and did the same. Buffy walked into her stall and undressed, simply tossing her sodden garments over the door, placing the towel on the little hook on the out-side of the small booth. As she washed her hair and rinsed the cold rain off of her skin, she felt numb, and not because of the chilly walk home. She let the water wash over her, trying to think things through.  
  
{Is this really for the best?} She questioned. {Were Willow and I happier when we were just friends?} She needed an answer, and for once, the other little voice in her head felt like keeping to it's self. {Great, just my luck . . . went I want it, I can't have it; when I've got it I wish it was gone.} She heard Willow leave the bathroom, and Buffy sighed. It'd been a long day, and piled up after yesterday . . . well, things were intense. {But not always bad intense . . .} she thought, a smirk spreading across her lips at the memory of the two nights previous.  
  
"Mmm, Willow." Buffy whispered as she let the hot water slowly work the tension out of her sore muscles. After sitting in the hard chair in the hospital for so long her body was aching. {How can doing so little hurt so much?} She wondered, taking one last deep breath of steam before shutting the water off. After drying off and switching into her Yummy Sushi Pajamas, she gathered her things and headed back to the room.  
  
Willow was sitting at her desk, adorning a pair of sweat pans and an over- sized t-shirt. {She looks cute . . .} Buffy thought, then shook her head. {You're such a sap when it comes to Willow. She could go all Sam Shepard on you and still she would be adorable to you.} Buffy climbed into her bed and pulled the sheets up to chin. Even with the heater on, the room seemed to be no warmer than when she left. As the blonde laid her head on the pillow and watched the read-head, she remembered something. {The last time I slept in this bed was with her}. Buffy smiled as said bedmate began color-coding her notes.  
  
She didn't know how long she'd laid there in the semi-darkness, just watching. Watching Willow do her Willowy-thing had always seemed very endearing to Buffy, and she'd been watching her perfect it for years. Slowly the Slayer started to fall asleep, not even noticing it; her mind was filled with memories of the red-head over the time they'd know each other, the little things she'd observed. {I used to love her hair,} Buffy thought sleepily, {Way back when it was long and she used to let me braid it for her . . . or the way Willow would mumble in her sleep about frogs on the nights when she'd stay over, and then wrap her arms around me. . .}  
  
An hour later, Buffy woke with a start. A loud rumble of thunder had issued from the rain-clouds above, and had stirred the blonde out of her sleep. In the silence that fallowed, she realized that, well . . . it wasn't really silent. Looking over towards Willow's bed, she heard a quiet clicking sound. As the next bold of lightning issued, Buffy saw that the Witch was balled up under the sheets, chattering. It was evident that the heater was busted, and Willow - - not being a slayer - - was starting to feel the effects.  
  
She watched as the girl shifted, and pulled her knees up to chest. Buffy had to admit this coldness was pretty extreme . . . but hey, Life On The Hellmouth. Without warning, the blonde got up out of her own bed and walked over to her girl-friends. The redhead didn't even seem to notice until the sheets' being pulled up caused a cool drift. Crawling under the comforter, the Slayer watched as Willow's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Buffy! What are you - " She started, but never go to finish. Buffy pushed her back down onto the bed, and reached for the hem of her shirt. "BUFFY!" Willow yelled suddenly.  
  
"Will, I know how much you hate to miss class, so please just trust me." Buffy cut her off, placing a delicate finger to the girl's lips. The intense look in those hazel eyes where was really silenced the Wicca, however. Buffy once again pulled on the bottom of the shirt, this time succeeding in it's removal. As Willow's head cleared the collar Buffy placed her warm hands on the chilled arms of her girl-friend. As she quickly rubbed her hands up and down them, almost mechanically, she looked away slightly. As Buffy took both Willow's hands in her own, gently warming them between her own, she sighed quickly.  
  
"I don't want you getting sick, finals are in a week and I know how important they are to you . . ." The blonde trailed off, but she never stopped her heated touch. As she reached for the girl's sweat-pants tie, her hands were slapped away. Recoiling for the sudden snap, Buffy's eyes shot up to meet stunned Green ones.  
  
"Don't." Willow sounded almost pleading, as though she was scared. Buffy sighed, almost as though she was exasperated, and quickly pulled her own pajama top off. Willow turned to look away, but Buffy caught her chin gently, forcing her to look at the Slayer.  
  
"Willow, you'll warm up faster if you're naked. Your body heat will reflect off the sheets and keep the cool out. It's what you're supposed to do if you're trapped in a snowstorm. So, if you're not going to get naked, then you'll have to reflect *my* body-heat." The blonde said it almost as though it was a threat. Willow blushed, and Buffy un-did the draw-string on her own pajama pants. "You maybe not be very happy with me right now, but I won't have you getting sick just to spite me. I Love you, Will . . . and I'm not worth a failed semester for. Besides," the blonde said, struggling with the knot she'd made, "I like keeping you warm." Willow's blush deepened as she remember their conversation he night before.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow said gently, halting the blonde's hands as they hooked into the waist band of her Yummy Sushi sleeping attire. Buffy looked up at her almost sternly, and Willow gently pulled them down for her. The corners of both their mouths curled into small smiles, and Buffy slowly removed the soft material from Willow's body. As the Slayer reached back to un-clasp her bra, she felt her arm slapped again. Halting her actions again, she received a glare from Willow. "Under-Pants Rule." Willow said sternly.  
  
"Aurgh!" Buffy groaned loudly, throwing herself back against the sheets. "WHAT THE HELL IS THE UNDER-PANTS RULE?!" She said loudly, "I know I already agreed to it, but I have to admit I have *no idea* what the heck you're talking about . . ." Throwing and arm over her eyes, the blonde huffed slightly. Willow had to hold in a giggle at the site, and lay down next to her girl-friend.  
  
"It means; the under-garments have to stay on." She said slowly. Before Willow knew what was happening, she was pinned against the mattress.  
  
"What?" the Slayer asked slowly, in disbelief. Willow took a few deep breaths and cleared her throat.  
  
"I didn't want us to rush into things." She said slowly, trying to be as gently as possible. "I was worried that sex would take over our relationship, and we'd just be lovers, and no longer friends. You're by most bestest friend . . ." Willow said sadly, slipping into her little-girl voice unbeknownst to her, "I don't want to lose that part of us, Buff." The blonde couldn't' help but smile at that, and kissed Willow's head gently, much in the way she'd kissed Faith earlier. Slipping down so that she could cuddle up next to the witch, the Slayer frowned.  
  
"Does that mean that the last two nights . . . was that not . . ." Buffy said gently, not wanting to assume anything when the lines of what she'd thought and what was differed so greatly. "I mean, did we . . ." she sighed quickly, and blurted it out, "I thought I was making love to you." Willow turned to look at her suddenly, surprise marking her face, and Buffy felt her heart sink.  
  
"We weren't?" Willow seemed just as confused. Buffy shrugged awkwardly and looked away. "Buffy, sex and Making love are different. One is an expression, the other is an action." Cupping the blonde's face in her hands, Willow's voice dipped to a whisper, "I made love to you that night, even if you didn't to me."  
  
"I DID!" Buffy insisted suddenly, "I was just worried . . . what with this, uh, 'Revelation' . . . I just wanted to make sure I wasn't reading too much into it." The Slayer blushed ten shades of Red, and buried her face into Willow's neck lightly. The witch laughed at the slight tickle the blonde's nose cause as she was nuzzled, and felt strong, small hands snake their way around her middle. Willow pulled the sheets higher again and felt as the hands on her body started to wander.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow said slowly, almost as a warning. Buffy looked up at her innocently.  
  
"What are the terms?" Buffy asked delicately, "What's okay and not Okay between us?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, can I touch you under the underwear if you're still in it?" Willow chuckled and shook her head 'No'. With a pout Buffy kept her fingertips gently moving across the flat stomach of her lover. "What about . . . touching you *through* the underwear?" Willow nodded, enjoying the way Buffy was tickling her tummy lightly, relaxed and purring like a cat. "Like this?" she asked, running her finger tips over the red-head's sensitive nipples. Willow drew in a sharp breath, and her eyes closed of their own accord. The last things he saw before her eyes rolled back was that the blonde still had that innocent on her face.  
  
"Buffy!" Willow moaned, trying to keep her voice down. As the fingers continued their gentle ministrations the witch's breath started to hitch. Suddenly, she felt the blonde start to kiss her neck, gently sucking the tender flesh of her pulse-point between her lips, marking her skin with love-bites. As the skilled tongue left a warm, wet trail up to the redhead's ear, Buffy giggled darkly.  
  
"So . . . this is alright?" The blonde asked, slipping her leg between the Wicca's. Willow's back arched and her grip on the Slayer's back tightened. As she pressed her knee into the Witch's center, she let out a long, slow, almost evil moan. "Mmm, Willow . . . You smell good enough to eat." At that the witch's eyes sprung open in shock. Smirking down at her, Buffy leaned in close, "But that'll have to wait, I guess . . ." Capturing the woman's lips with her own, and sighed in contentment. {How things are supposed to be.} She thought.  
  
"Buffy, I . . ." was all the witch could get out before she felt the pressure against her core shift, lift, then replace . . . by a hand. A strong yet soft Slayer-Hand to be precise. Quickly grasping the wrist attached to said appendage, Willow looked up in shock.  
  
"Shhh, it's okay," Buffy whispered gently, kissing her passionately again, tasting those lips that drove her wild. "I'll be good, just want to have a look around." Some how, the Slayer made it sound sexy. How, Willow wasn't sure. She couldn't really think about it, because the sudden attention to her nether-regions had rendered her brain functions to little more than that of very intelligent grass. Or, possibly, a very stupid fish, as she could still make sounds. Barely.  
  
"Mmmm, Buffy . . ." Buffy smiled and leaned down, kissing the witch's breast through the thin fabric of her bra. Her fingers gently caressed the wetness of the cotton panties, feeling the girl's arousal quickly building. Adding the pressure of her leg again, Buffy cupped Willow's Sex gently. Wincing as she felt Nails dig into her shoulder, she still couldn't help but grin at the look of passion on her lover's face. {On second thought, Maybe it's worth the risk!}  
  
(To Be Continued . . .)  
  
~VixenRaign~ 


End file.
